In this review, a comprehensive overview is given that covers the preparation, characterization, properties, and modification of sol-gel derived SiO2-TiO2 systems toward the generation of advanced coatings and powders with desirable properties. First, the fundamentals of the preparation and application of sol-gel derived multicomponent oxide coatings and powders are reviewed. Then, the basic physical and chemical properties of sol-gel derived SiO2-TiO2 coatings and powders are described. After that, the morphological and structural modification of sol-gel derived SiO2-TiO2 systems using organic polymers and surfactants, via their reaction in water vapor and hot water under external fields, are discussed. Finally, the advanced functionalities, such as superhydrophilicity, photocatalytic activity, micropatterning, and holographic recording, of the sol-gel derived SiO2-TiO2 coatings are demonstrated. In this context, the contributions of the author in this research field are also presented. (c) 2022 The Ceramic Society of Japan. All rights reserved.