Achieving　efficient　and　stable　photocatalytic　degradation　of　xylene　hinges　on　the　advancement　of　photocatalytic　materials　with　outstanding　visible　light　activity.　This　low-carbon　strategy　serves　as　a　promising　solution　to　combat　air　pollution　effectively.　In　this　study,　we　synthesized　a　Z-scheme　heterojunction　Ag@CuO/UiO-66-NH2　nanocomposite　by　hydrothermal　method　to　investigate　its　photodegradation　properties　for　xylene　gas　under　visible　light　conditions.　XRD,　XPS,　SEM,　FTIR,　and　UV-vis　analyses　were　employed　to　confirm　the　presence　of　the　Z-scheme　heterojunction.　The　CuO/UiO-66-NH2　(CuU-2)　composite　has　high　photocatalytic　activity,　which　is　2.37　times　that　of　the　original　UiO-66-NH2.　The　incorporation　of　Z-scheme　heterojunction　facilitates　efficient　charge　transfer　and　separation,　leading　to　a　substantial　enhancement　in　photocatalytic　activity.　The　Ag@CuO/UiO-66-NH2　(Ag-1@CuU)　composite　has　the　highest　photocatalytic　activity　with　a　degradation　efficiency　of　84.12%,　which　is　3.36　times　and　1.41　times　that　of　UiO-66-NH2　and　CuO/UiO-66-NH2,　respectively.　The　silver　cocatalyst　improves　the　absorption　capacity　of　the　composite　material　to　visible　light,　makes　the　ultraviolet　visible　absorption　edge　redshift,　and　significantly　improves　the　photocatalytic　performance.　This　study　introduces　a　novel　approach　for　xylene　gas　degradation　and　offers　a　versatile　strategy　for　designing　and　synthesizing　metal-organic　framework　(MOF)-based　photocatalysts　with　exceptional　performance.　©　2023.　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature.