Display omitted •Hydrodynamic conditions during anodization remove part of the initiation layer.•Hydrodynamic conditions during anodization led to higher photocurrent densities.•The conductivity of the NTs increases with Li+ intercalation.•There is a synergistic effect among the hydrodynamic conditions and Li+ intercalation.•Doped nanotubes were stable in the test electrolyte under illumination. This work studies the influence of using hydrodynamic conditions (Reynolds number, Re=0 to Re=600) during Ti anodization and Li+ intercalation on anatase TiO2 nanotubes. The synthesized photocatalysts were characterized by using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), Raman Confocal Laser Microscopy, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), Mott-Schottky analysis (M-S), photoelectrochemical hydrogen production and resistance to photocorrosion tests. The obtained results showed that the conductivity of the NTs increases with Li+ intercalation and Re. The latter is due to the fact that the hydrodynamic conditions eliminate part of the initiation layer formed over the tube-tops, which is related to an increase of the photocurrent in the photoelectrochemical water splitting. Besides, the photogenerated electron-hole pairs are facilitated by Li+ intercalation. Finally, this work confirms that there is a synergistic effect between Re and Li+ intercalation.