Sm³⁺-activated Y₂O₂S red phosphors were prepared by the combustion method and microemulsion method at the first time. X-ray characterization and electron diffraction show that, Y₂O₂S:Sm³⁺, Ti⁴⁺, Mg²⁺ samples prepared by these two methods are pure hexagonal crystals in structure with a trivial change due to dopants. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results show that the product presents an almond-like sheet in uniform size. Under the excitation of 269 nm ultraviolet light, Y₂O₂S:Sm³⁺ samples fabricated by these two methods exhibit three main groups of red emission lines located at 564, 604, and 656 nm, respectively, which are attributed to the transitions of 4G_5/2 →6H_5/2, 4G_5/2 →6H_7/2, 4G_5/2 →6H_9/2, respectively. The samples prepared by microemulsion are seven times higher in fluorescent emission intensity and half time longer in afterglow time than that prepared by combustion.