<p>Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have emerged as one of the most promising options for contemporary energy storage systems owing to their inherent low cost, high safety, and environmental friendliness. However, developing high-performance AZIB cathode materials that meet the requirements for large-scale applications remains a considerable challenge. This study employed a straightforward hydrothermal method to efficiently synthesize Y³⁺ preintercalated hydrated vanadium oxide cathode material (VOH-Y). By introducing rare-earth Y³⁺ ions into layered V₁₀O₂₄·nH₂O, the original interlayer spacing was modulated; concurrently, this promoted the formation of a uniform two-dimensional nanosheet structure in VOH-Y, effectively optimizing the Zn²⁺ diffusion path and the distribution of insertion/extraction active sites, thereby enhancing diffusion kinetics. Therefore, the VOH-Y cathode delivered a specific capacity of 374.99 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.5 A g⁻¹ with 90.18% capacity retention after 200 cycles. This work highlights the importance of the Y³⁺ preintercalation strategy and provides new insights for developing high-performance AZIB cathode materials.</p>