Achieving　efficient　and　stable　photocatalytic　degradation　of　xylene　hinges　on　the　advancement　of　photocatalytic　materials　with　outstanding　visible　light　activity.　This　low-carbon　strategy　serves　as　a　promising　solution　to　combat　air　pollution　effectively.　In　this　study,　we　synthesized　a　Z-scheme　heterojunction　Ag@CuO/UiO-66-NH2　nanocomposite　by　hydrothermal　method　to　investigate　its　photodegradation　properties　for　xylene　gas　under　visible　light　conditions.　XRD,　XPS,　SEM,　FTIR,　and　UV–vis　analyses　were　employed　to　confirm　the　presence　of　the　Z-scheme　heterojunction.　The　CuO/UiO-66-NH2　(CuU-2)　composite　has　high　photocatalytic　activity,　which　is　2.37　times　that　of　the　original　UiO-66-NH2.　The　incorporation　of　Z-scheme　heterojunction　facilitates　efficient　charge　transfer　and　separation,　leading　to　a　substantial　enhancement　in　photocatalytic　activity.　The　Ag@CuO/UiO-66-NH2　(Ag-1@CuU)　composite　has　the　highest　photocatalytic　activity　with　a　degradation　efficiency　of　84.12%,　which　is　3.36　times　and　1.41　times　that　of　UiO-66-NH2　and　CuO/UiO-66-NH2,　respectively.　The　silver　cocatalyst　improves　the　absorption　capacity　of　the　composite　material　to　visible　light,　makes　the　ultraviolet　visible　absorption　edge　redshift,　and　significantly　improves　the　photocatalytic　performance.　This　study　introduces　a　novel　approach　for　xylene　gas　degradation　and　offers　a　versatile　strategy　for　designing　and　synthesizing　metal–organic　framework　(MOF)-based　photocatalysts　with　exceptional　performance.　Graphical　Abstract:　[Figure　not　available:　see　fulltext.]　©　2023,　The　Author(s),　under　exclusive　licence　to　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　part　of　Springer　Nature.