•A novel Dy3+doped MgP2O6 phosphor is synthesized via combustion route.•The Rietveld refinement method is used to calculate the lattice parameters.•Photometric results shows the emission profile in yellow-whitish region.•The synthesized phosphor is a potential candidate for WLED applications. A yellowish white light emitting Dy3+ (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5 mole%) activated MgP2O6 phosphors were prepared using Solution combustion (SC) method. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Rietveld refinement confirmed the phase purity with “monoclinic symmetry” having space group P21/n. The lattice constant of the optimum doped sample is also refined by “Full Prof software”. Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy was employed to observe the luminescent properties, including both excitation and emission features. The phosphor verified intense yellowish emission at 573 nm, analogous to the hypersensitive electric dipole transition4F9/2→6H13/2. The critical activated concentration of MgP2O6:Dy3+ phosphor approximately occurs at 1.5 mole%. The phosphor exhibits conventional applications in solid-state lighting when excited under UV light at 348 nm. Display omitted