Recent trends in optoelectronics still need a high e cient photodetector based on p-type metal oxide semiconductors. This work stands with the improvement in the performance of CuO thin lms via doping with different metals into the thin lms. The CuO thin lms were successfully doped with 1 wt% of X (X=Al, Ga, and In) by spray pyrolysis technology. The prepared doped CuO thin lms were characterized to interpret the structural, morphological, and elemental characteristics using advanced techniques. These doped CuO thin lms were subjected to study the photodetection ability by analyzing optoelectronic properties. The doping also has tuned the optical and electrical properties. Among the fabricated photodetectors, the Al-doped CuO detector shows a maximum photocurrent. The CuO:Al(1.0%) thin lm exhibits a high photocurrent of 2.59⨯10 -6 A, the responsivity of 2.82⨯10 -1 AW -1 , the external quantum e ciency of 66%, and detectivity of 1.45⨯10 10 Jones. Compared to the other thin lms, Al doping has remarkably reduced the bandgap and shows a good photosensing activity that may be due to an increase in charge carriers. These outcomes provide a way to assemble good photodetectors and tune their properties in a wide range.