Display omitted •AgGO with enhanced absorption in the visible spectrum through a single-step surfactant-free facile method was prepared.•WO3-x/AgrGO composite with better photocatalytic activity was prepared by doping WO3-x by AgGO via a hydrothermal process.•Better carrier separation and reduced impedance leading to RhB degradation and bacterial inactivation.•It exhibits versatilities for photocatalytic activities in visible regions.•Stability tests suggest its excellent reusability. Suppressing charge recombination in semiconductors via triggering interfacial polarization and synergism provides an effective way to redeem multifunctionality and achieve environmental sustainability. Herein, we anchor a single-step facile synthesis of AgGO, providing bandgap control through varying oxidation time and subsequent simultaneous incorporation of Ag and rGO via the in situ hydrothermal method in WO3-x. The resulting WO3-x/AgrGO composite demonstrated a broadening of optical absorption and excellent suppression of carrier recombination, thereby improving the catalytic properties. The synergism and excellent conductivity of AgrGO enhance the interfacial polarization to store the carriers for longer times and help carriers carry most of their energy to the catalyst’s surface. When WO3-x/AgrGO was tested against RhB under visible light irradiation, its degradation constant reached 0.034/min, 7.4 times faster than pure WO3-x. It has left no viable bacteria during the photoinactivation of gram-negative E. coli bacteria, and even its inactivation rate is 1.07 times faster than AgGO. So, this study provides a direct method of metal-GO composite synthesis and subsequent introduction into WO3-x to broaden the versatility of environmental semiconductors.