A　novel　strategy　has　been　developed　for　spontaneous　reduction　of　gold　ions　on　the　TiO2　with　oxygen　vacancies　(TiO2-OV)　to　obtain　defect-based　composite　photocatalyst,　during　which　neither　additional　reducing　agents　nor　surfactants　are　required.　The　as-formed　metallic　gold　nanoparticles　are　partially　embedded　into　the　surface　of　TiO2　resulting　from　the　binding　with　OV　on　the　TiO2　surface.　Such　an　intimate　interfacial　contact　between　gold　nanoparticles　and　TiO2　can　contribute　to　improving　the　separation　and　transport　of　charge　carriers　photogenerated　from　Au-TiO2-OV　hybrids　under　visible　light　irradiation　as　well　as　stabilizing　gold　nanoparticles　on　TiO2.　It　is　revealed　that　the　electron　transfer　from　OV　states　of　TiO2-OV　to　gold　ions　is　responsible　for　the　spontaneous　formation　of　metallic　gold　nanoparticles.　The　results　show　that　Au-TiO2-OV　shows　enhanced　visible　light　photoactivity　toward　Rhodamine　B　(RhB)　degradation　compared　to　the　original　TiO2　and　TiO2-OV.　The　wavelength　dependent　photoactivity　analysis　further　clarifies　that　the　surface　plasmon　resonance　(SPR)　due　to　the　excitation　of　gold　nanoparticles　under　visible　light　irradiation　is　the　driving　force　for　the　enhanced　visible　light　photoactivity.　It　is　hoped　that　our　current　work　would　provide　a　simple,　fast　strategy　to　synthesize　defect-based　composite　photocatalysts　for　target　applications.　©　2013　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.