The　design　of　the　photocatalytic　materials　has　made　a　great　of　remarkable　progress　in　the　area　of　the　enhancement　photocatalytic　activity,　but　there　are　still　lots　of　problems　such　as　wide　band　gap,　low　utilization　of　sunlight,　low　quantum　efficiency　and　poor　stability,　which　further　limit　the　extensive　practical　applications.　Thus,　it　is　a　hot　research　topic　and　key　scientific　problem　to　be　solved　that　how　to　design　and　prepare　the　catalysts,　which　can　respond　to　visible　and　near-infrared　light　in　sunlight.　Inspired　by　efficient　nonlinear　optical　upconversion　materials,　upconversion-based　nanocomposites　can　indirectly　broaden　the　absorption　ranges　of　semiconductors　by　converting　the　captured　long-band　visible　and　near-infrared　incident　light　into　high-energy　short-band　visible　or　ultraviolet　light,　which　can　be　adopted　as　the　promising　candidate　in　wide-spectral-light-activating　photocatalytic　materials　coupling　with　conventional　semiconductors.　According　to　our　recent　works　and　literature　reports,　recent　review　summarizes　the　research　progress　of　photocatalytic　materials　with　upconversion　effect　on　photolysis　of　water　for　hydrogen　production,　degradation　of　organic　and　inorganic　pollutants,　reduction　of　CO2　and　photodynamic　therapy.　The　prepared　nanocomposites　can　suppress　the　recombination　of　electrons　and　holes,　and　greatly　improve　the　photocatalytic　efficiency　by　the　synergistic　effect.　It　maybe　stimulates　a　great　interest　in　rational　design　and　preparation　of　efficient　full-spectrum　photocatalytic　systems　and　their　wide　application　in　solar　energy　conversion.　(C)　2020　Chinese　Society　of　Rare　Earths.　Published　by　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.