Using the oxidation method from vanadium metal thin films by magnetron sputtering, under the fixed annealing parameters of temperature (400℃) and oxygen pressure (103 Pa), we fabricated a series of vanadium dioxide thin films through the change of annealing durations or substrates (quartz glass or AZO-covered glass). Characterization of the thermochromic properties together with the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) indicates that appropriate annealing duration is a key factor to obtain pure VO2 films and AZO-covered glass is more suitable to obtain the VO2 films with high visible transmittance, good crystallinity and larger near-infrared switching efficiencies (maximum 34%at 2000 nm) compared with the substrate of quartz glass. However, VO2 films on quartz glass exhibit narrower loop (7℃) with smart reversible response to temperature. Depth profile XPS spectra further indicate that for the films fabricated on quartz glass from thicker V metal films, the existence of low valence vanadium oxides is inevitable and leads to a lower transmittance in the region of visible light.