The effect of bismuth doping on the structural, magnetic and photocatalytic properties of K1-xBixNbO3 (x = 0.0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.07 mol.%) microrods were studied. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared and Raman studies revealed the orthorhombic system of KNbO3. The scanning electron microscopy images display the nearly rod shape crystallites of K1-xBixNbO3. The UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectral result showed that the band gap varying between 3.13 and 2.95 eV. Photoluminescence spectra showed that the emission peaks in the visible region between 459 and 544 nm, which are mainly attributed to the oxygen vacancy present in the K1-xBixNbO3 sample. Vibrating sample magnetometer analysis revealed diamagnetic behavior of Bi doped KNbO3 samples. The BET surface area of K1-xBixNbO3 microrods varies between 9.54 and 14.48 m2g−1. The rate constant of methyl orange degradation with Bi doped samples is about 2 (x = 0.05) and 2.25 (x = 0.07) times faster when compared with that of undoped KNbO3. © 2018 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.