A　novel　photochromic　(PC)　ferroelectric　material,　Nd3+-doped　K0.5Na0.5NbO3　translucent　ceramic,　was　fabricated　by　a　conventional　solid　method.　The　ceramic　shows　moderate　optical　transparency　due　to　its　dense　microstructure,　as　well　as　good　photoluminescence　(PL)　properties　of　up-conversion　(UC)　emission　in　the　visible　region　and　down-shifting　(DS)　emission　in　the　near-infrared　region.　Simultaneously,　the　colors　of　all　the　ceramics　turn　darker　after　365　nm　illumination,　and　then　recover　to　their　initial　states　upon　thermal　stimulus　(210　°C,　10　min),　exhibiting　a　typical　PC　phenomenon.　In　particular,　the　effect　of　the　PC　behavior　on　PL　lifetimes　of　Nd3+　was　investigated.　Multi-mode　reversible　modulations　of　various　optical　behaviors　were　realized　based　on　the　PC　behavior,　especially　for　the　regulation　of　near-infrared　emission.　And　the　maximum　modulation　ratios　of　transmittances,　UC　or　DS　PL　intensities　and　luminescence　lifetimes　are　43.0%,　66.7%,　66.4%　and　12.8%,　respectively.　Owing　to　higherature　sintering　and　Nd3+　substitution　in　the　ceramics,　cation　and　oxygen　vacancies　appear　to　produce　F′　and　V1　color　centers,　which　are　in　charge　of　the　PC　behavior　and　corresponding　modulations.　These　results　suggest　that　the　ceramics　are　a　promising　PC　material　in　visible　and　near-infrared　optical　data　storage,　photo-switches,　and　optoelectronic　devices.　Meanwhile,　they　also　provide　insights　into　the　applications　of　rare-earth　Nd3+　in　other　inorganic　PC　ferroelectric　materials.　©　2020　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.