In-situ hydrodeoxygenation of phenol with aqueous hydrogen donor over supported Ni catalyst was investigated. The supported Ni catalysts exerted very poor performance, if formic acid was used as the hydrogen donor. Catalyst modification by loading K, Na, Mg or La salt could not make the catalyst performance improved. If gaseous hydrogen was used as the hydrogen source the activity of Ni/Al2O3 was pretty high. CO2 was found poisonous to the catalysis, due to the competitive adoption of phenol with CO2. If formic acid was replaced by methanol, the catalyst performance improved remarkably, with major products of cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol. The better effect of methanol enlightened the application of the supported Ni catalyst in in-situ hydrodeoxygenation of phenol. (C) 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.