The　conversion　of　biomass　into　valuable　chemicals　has　promise　for　application　in　biorefineries.　Light-driven　photoredox　catalysis,　with　the　typical　features　of　green　route　and　operation　under　mild　conditions,　is　considered　a　promising　strategy　for　renewable　biomass　or　biomass-derived　intermediates　conversion　into　high-value-added　chemical　feedstocks.　In　this　review,　we　strongly　emphasize　the　recent　advances　in　photocatalytic　valorization　of　lignin　model　compounds　and　biomass-derived　alcohols.　We　briefly　summarize　the　advances　in　photocatalytic　cleavage　of　the　β-O-4　bond　or　C–C　bond　into　usable　chemicals　in　the　lignin　model.　On　the　other　hand,　we　clarify　not　only　the　hybrid　system　for　cooperative　biomass-relevant　alcohols　oxidation　and　hydrogen　(H2)　evolution　but　also　the　tunable　accessibility　to　variation　of　the　target　products　from　the　same　alcohol　reactant　by　catalyst　design　and　optimization　of　reaction　conditions.　It　is　hoped　that　this　review　will　inspire　the　rational　design　of　photoredox　catalysis-based　systems　toward　efficient　biomass-derived　platform　molecules　valorization　to　obtain　target-oriented　valuable　products.　©　2020,　The　Author(s).