Hydrogenated silicon oxide (SiOx∶H) films were prepared by 13.56 MHz radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RF-PECVD). The effect of the deposition temperature (T) variation (from 50 ℃ to 400 ℃) on the film performance and microstructure were investigated. The T increases could induce the decreases of oxygen content (CO) in the SiOx∶H film and at the same time make the film transform from nanocrystalline state to amorphous state gradually, which resulted in the film crystallinity (XC) decreases and the film refractive index (n) increases. Further, it was found that the microstructure factor (R) decreases and the hydrogen content (CH) in the SiOx∶H film increases first and then decreases with the T increases. A maximum of CH could be obtained with an intermediate T. Based on the above results, the low-temperature formed film is considered as a typical composite with hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si∶H) inserted in the hydrogenated amorphous silicon oxide (a-SiOx∶H) matrix, however, the high-temperature deposited film consists of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si∶H) matrix with nc-Si∶H and a-SiOx∶H phases less and less diluted inside. The results show that excellent hydrogenated nanocrystalline silicon oxide (nc-SiOx∶H) film with high XC and CO for solar cell application should be deposited at a relatively low temperature.