Nanostructured materials with advantages in large surface-to-volume ratio and high specific surface area have demonstrated great potential in improving the gas sensing property because these structural and morphology features provide improved surface sensing activities. In this work, porous Ce-doped In2O3 nanospheres have been successfully prepared using a facile hydrothermal method, and their morphology, microstructure, and gas-sensing properties were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and gas sensing testing (GST). Ce doping not only enhances the response value and reduces response-recovery time but also lowers the operating temperature and retains good stability. The possible reasons for enhanced sensing properties of as-prepared Ce-doped In2O3 sensors were also proposed. (c) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.