The invention relates to a method for preparing lower alcohols through catalytically hydrocracking polyols, including sorbitol, mannitol, arabitol, xylitol, butantetraol, erythritol and glycerol, by taking insoluble hydroxides as additives. The method comprises the step of catalytically hydrocracking the polyols, which serve as a raw material, in an aqueous solution at the temperature of 150 DEG C to 320 DEG C and the H2 pressure of 1MPa to 20MPa in a manner of taking one or more than two of transition metals such as platinum, ruthenium, palladium, rhodium, nickel, copper, manganese and tungsten as catalyst active ingredients and taking the insoluble hydroxides such as cobalt hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, iron hydroxide, cerium hydroxide, lanthanum hydroxide and yttrium hydroxide as adjuvants, so as to prepare the lower alcohols such as ethylene glycol and propylene glycol. The method has the advantages that the hydrocracking of the polyols is achieved by adding the insoluble hydroxides as the adjuvants, and the insoluble hydroxides are insoluble in water and are easy in separation; and after a reaction ends, a reaction system is not required to be neutralized by using additional acids.