To prepare Pd catalysts for formate oxidation with superior anti-poisoning performance and Pd utilization, a facile strategy is employed by combining in-situ deposition and subsequent Pd growth. The high resolution transmission electron microscopy is used to observe the morphologies, confirming the existence of Pd/SnO2 interfaces and the uniform Pd layer on SnO2 through in-situ deposition. After subsequent growth, the Pd crystalline structure is better developed and the size of identifiable Pd moieties increased, as evidenced by X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images. The electrochemical characterization indicates that Pd/SnO2 interfaces together with increased size of Pd moieties promotes the Pd anti-poisoning performance. Besides, with subsequent Pd growth, the Pd utilization is also improved, as evidenced by the increase in area of Pd oxide reduction peak. Considering the facile preparation, superior performance and flexibility of combining in-situ Pd deposition and subsequent metals growth, the strategy is believed to be of promising potential for wide range catalysts development and application. (C) 2019 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.