In　consideration　of　environmental　protection　and　energy　conversion,　the　development　of　semiconductor　photocatalytic　technology　is　as　first　choice.　But　the　photocatalytic　performance　of　typical　ZrO2　catalyst　is　seriously　inhibited　since　it　can　only　been　driven　by　ultraviolet　light.　Herein,　constructing　S-scheme　g–C3N4–modified　ZrO2　heterostructures　can　be　conducive　to　enhance　photocatalytic　performance　by　separating　rapidly　the　photogenerated　carriers.　In　this　work,　a　series　of　S-scheme　g-C3N4/ZrO2　heterostructures　were　constructed　via　the　simple　calcination,　and　their　photocatalytic　performances　were　evaluated　by　degradating　Rhodamine　B　(RhB),　Methyl　orange　(MO)　and　Acid　orange　II　(AO　II)　under　visible　light　irradiation.　Importantly,　15%　g-C3N4/ZrO2　heterostructures　exhibited　superior　photocatalytic　activities　(degradating　82%　RhB,　50%　MO　and　98%　AO　II　in　150　min)　and　electrocatalytic　performance　(possessing　lower　overpotential,　Tafel　slope　as　well　as　more　exposed　active　sites).　The　enhanced　performances　were　ascribed　to　the　intensive　light　absorption,　the　larger　specific　surface　area,　more　exposed　active　sites　as　well　as　the　higher　separation　of　photogenerated　electrons/holes　pairs,　which　were　confirmed　by　UV–vis　diffuse　reflectance　spectra　(DRS),　photoluminescence　(PL)　spectra,　electrochemical　and　radicals　trapping　experiments.　This　research　provides　the　platform　for　the　application　in　environmental　protection　and　energy　conversion　via　constructing　S-scheme　heterostructures.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd