Cubic NaYF4:Yb3+(20%) /Er3+(1%) microspheres were synthesized by EDTA-assisted hydrothermal method. Under 980 nm excitation,ultraviolet(4G11/2→4I15/2) ,violet(2H9/2→4I15/2) ,green(4F7/2→4I15/2,2H11/2→4I15/2,and 4S3/2→4I15/2) ,and red(4F9/2→4I15/2) upconversion fluorescence were observed. The number of laser photons absorbed in one upconversion excitation process,n,was determined to be 3.89,1.61,2.55,and 1.09 for the ultraviolet,violet,green,and red emissions,respectively. Obviously,n=3.89 indicated that a four-photon process was involved in populating the 4G11/2 state,and n=2.55 indicated that a three-photon process was involved in populating the 4F7/2/2H11/2/4S3/2 levels. For the violet and red emissions,the population of the states 2H9/2 and 4F9/2 separately came from three-photon and two-photon processes. The decrease of n was well explained by the mechanism of competition between linear decay and upconversion processes for the depletion of the intermediate excited states. Under 980 nm excitation, ultraviolet (2H11 / 2 → 4I15 / 2), violet (2H9 / 2 → 4I15 / 2) , green (4F7 / 2 → 4I15 / 2, 2H11 / 2 → 4I15 / 2, and 4S3 / 2 → 4I15 / 2), and red (4F9 / 2 → 4I15 / 2) upconversion fluorescence were observed. The number of laser photons absorbed in one upconversion excitation process, n, was determined to be 3.89, 1.61, 2.55, and 1.09 for the ultraviolet, violet, green, and red emissions, respectively. Obviously, n = 3.89 indicated that a four-photon process was involved in populating the 4G11 / 2 state and n = 2.55 indicated that the three-photon process was involved in populating the 4F7 / 2 / 2H11 / 2 / 4S3 / 2 levels. For the violet and red emissions, the population of the states 2H9 / 2 and 4F9 / 2 separately came from three-photon and two-photon processes. The decrease of n was well explained by the mechanism of competition between linear decay and upconversion processes for the depletion of the intermediate excited state s.