Synthesis of Ti3+ self-doped TiO2 with high stability is very necessary to understand the role of Ti3+ defects in photocatalytic process. In this study, we report a simple strategy for preparing stable Ti3+ self-doped TiO2 nanowires with Ti2O3 as precursors. Raman and XPS spectrum confirmed the existence of Ti3+ and oxygen vacancies. Compared with the pure TiO2, the photocatalytic activity of the Ti3+ self-doped TiO2 enhanced under UV light irradiation, however, neither pure TiO2 nor the self-dope TiO2 samples exhibit photocatalytic activity while irradiated under visible light, though the self-doped TiO2 have an enhanced absorption in visible region. On the basis of the experimental results, the possible mechanism of Ti3+ in photocatalytic process is proposed. (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V.