Exploring the spatial and temporal changes of vegetation NDVI in Huangshui watershed and its driving factors will be beneficial to regional ecological environment restoration and regional sustainable development. Based on multi-source remote sensing data and socio-economic data, using the trend analysis method and Pearson correlation analysis method to explore the spatial and temporal changes characteristics of vegetation NDVI in Huangshui watershed from 2000 to 2020, and with the help of geographic detector to analyze the influence of natural and anthropogenic driving factors on the spatial variation of vegetation in the basin. The results showed that: (1) From 2000 to 2020, vegetation NDVI value of the watershed presented an overall upward trend, with an average growth rate of 0.003 8/a, among which Huangshui coastal and downstream parts of the most obvious rising trend, while there was an obvious downward trend in new towns and the "water diversion tunnel from Datong river into Huangshui river" project area. (2) In the whole watershed, temperature and elevation were the main factors affecting the spatial variation of vegetation NDVI; elevation, soil and vegetation type were the main factors affecting the spatial changes of vegetation NDVI. (3) The explanatory power of the interaction between the driving factors were higher than that of the single factor, showing a non-linear and two-factor enhancement, temperature and landscape interaction had the highest explanatory power, reaching 71.6%, and explanatory power of the spatial variation of vegetation NDVI was the strongest. (4) The spatial variation and change of vegetation NDVI in the watershed were influenced by both natural and human factors, and the natural factors played a leading role. With the significant improvement of people's awareness of environmental protection and the gradual implementation of regional ecological projects, the vegetation cover of the watershed is turning better.