Abstract: A method for making yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) nanopowders, includes mixing carbohydrate and organic amine in a container according to a first ratio, stirring the carbohydrate and organic amine in the container under a heating condition for 2 minutes to 120 minutes for melting the carbohydrate and the organic amine to obtain a clear and transparent mixed solution, adding yttrium salt and aluminum salt at a second ratio to the clear and transparent mixed solution, and stirring the yttrium salt, the aluminum salt, and the clear and transparent mixed solution in the container under the heating condition for 5 minutes to120 minutes to form a uniform molten mixture, heating the uniform molten mixture to dehydrate and carbonize the carbohydrate to obtain a dark brown fluffy solid, and performing a heat treatment on the dark brown fluffy solid at 800° C. to 1500° C. to obtain the YAG nanopowders.