<p>In the present time, the need of sustainable and clean energy has increased the worldwide interest in photocatalytic water splitting since it is a promising mean of hydrogen production. Considerable attempts have been made to synthesize an&#xa0;effective photocatalyst. Among various photocatalysts, V₂O₅ has attracted considerable interest because of its distinctive chemical, optical, and photochromic properties. This review emphasizes the current progress in V₂O₅ as a potent visible light photocatalyst, focusing on its photocatalytic reaction mechanism, various synthesis methods and photocatalytic performance improvement strategies for higher hydrogen yield. Different synthesis approaches, such as chemical vapor deposition, electron beam deposition, pulsed laser deposition, sol–gel and hydrothermal methods are reviewed in this article. Moreover, the effect of various dopants on the&#xa0;catalytic performance of V₂O₅ and the underlying mechanism for enhanced hydrogen production by doped V₂O₅ has been elaborated. Furthermore, different catalytic setups comprising a variety of V₂O₅-based heterojunctions, i.e., types I, II and III, have been explained along with their photocatalytic performance for higher hydrogen conversion efficiency in comparison to the pristine V₂O₅. Hence, the current review can offer significant insights for enhanced solar to hydrogen conversion efficiency via V₂O₅-based photocatalysts, thereby fulfilling the energy needs of the industrial sector.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>