Visible-light-driven stannic oxide was synthesized by facile one-pot solvothermal method from SnCl·2HO and methanol. The as-prepared powder was identified by XRD as the low crystalline phase of SnO, and its absorption edge reached about 530 nm, presenting good potential to respond to visible light. Under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm), the as-prepared tin oxide showed good anodic photocurrent effects on FTO photoelectrode, and showed hydrogen and oxygen evolution activities under electron donor (methanol) and acceptor (AgNO), respectively, even without any co-catalyst loading. The visible-light-driven mechanism for this SnO maybe ascribed to Sn self-doped into Sn and formed an energy gap between the band gap of SnO.