SrWO4:Er3+/Yb3+ phosphors are synthesized by a solid state reaction. The XRD patterns indicate that the doping ions will not change the phase of SrWO4. Under the excitation at 980 nm, SrWO4:Er3+/Yb3+ phosphors show emission bands in green and red regions. The temperature-dependence of upconversion efficiency and temperature-sensing properties of SrWO4:Er3+/Yb3+ phosphors have been discussed according to the fluorescence intensity ratio of green emissions from H-2(11/2)/S-4(3/2)-> I-4(15/2) transitions of Er3+ in the range of 95-775K under the excitation at 980 nm. The maximum sensitivity of SrWO4:1%Er3+/6%Yb3+ phosphor is found to be 0.01282K(-1) at 489 K. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.