Three-dimensional hierarchical SnO2 microspheres (similar to 0.35-1.60 mu m) comprised of 5-10 nm SnO2 nanoparticles are successfully obtained through a facile hydrothermal reaction pathway, which are detailly characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and Transmission electron microscopy (TEM). These samples are then used in photoanodes in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), whose photovoltaic performances are discussed with photocurrent-voltage (J-V) curve. And the highest power conversion efficiency of 4.21% is achieved as the result of hierarchical SnO2 microspheres (200 degrees C 12 h) film (similar to 15.9 mu m in thick) photoanode, and the corresponding short-circuit current density (J(sc)) is 9.38 mA cm(-2), open-circuit voltage (V-oc) is 692 mV, and the fill factor (FF) is 0.59, respectively. Based on the time-dependent SnO2 products, we propose the evolution mechanism of SnO2 microspheres. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.