In this paper, potassium sodium niobate (KNN) nanopowders were successfully obtained by sol–gel combustion method. According to thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results, the produced xerogel was calcined at 500[Formula: see text]C, 600[Formula: see text]C, and 700[Formula: see text]C to obtain KNN powders. The structural and optical properties of the prepared powders were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV–vis spectroscopy. The XRD patterns indicated formation of orthorhombic KNN samples. The Scherrer formula and size–strain plot (SSP) method were employed to calculate crystallite size and lattice strain of the KNN powders. The TEM image revealed that the average particle size of the prepared samples is about 30 nm and they have cubic shape. The optical band gap energy of the samples was calculated using UV–vis absorbance spectra of the samples along with Tauc relation.