► Tungsten trioxide (WO3) powders with loading 0.1–1wt% catalysts were prepared. ► The Pt/WO3showed its coloration at lower temperatures in exposure to cyclohexane. ► The 0.5wt% Pt/WO3demonstrated its coloration at lower temperatures. ► The heating of 0.5wt% Pt/WO3at above 130°C was required to detect 1vol% cyclohexane. ► Thexvalue in colored Pt/WO3, Pt/HxWO3, was 0.15–0.16 under different Pt contents.