The Mn-doped Ni(OH) 2 nanostructures were obtained by a simple ion-exchange hydrothermal method. The as-prepared materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDXS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) for their morphological, composition and structural properties. As a material for modified electrodes, electrochemical tests demonstrate that the methanol oxidation peak current density of Mn-doped Ni(OH) 2 nanostructures reached 14.18 mA cm −2 at 0.596 V (vs Ag/AgCl) in NaOH electrolyte. Similarly, the Mn-doped Ni(OH) 2 nanostructures also maintained good electrocatalytic stability during the term of 36,000 s. The improvement of electrochemical performance is related to the introduction of Mn element in Ni(OH) 2 . It may promote Ni in the Mn-doped Ni(OH) 2 nanostructures to carry the lower electron density and the higher oxidation state which may be responsible for the better performance toward methanol oxidation.