A self-powered photodetector based on triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is demonstrated in this work. Two surfaces of the main TENG are polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and steel. Surface of PDMS was coated with silver nanoparticles and then further covered with reduced graphene oxide (rGO). By utilizing the photosensitivity of rGO and silver nanoparticles, a shunt variable resistance controlled with the UV light illumination was introduced to the structure. This shunt resistance reduces the triboelectric capacitance’s discharge time and the output voltage. It also makes a path for charges in reverse direction which provides opposite polarity output voltage peaks that are related to pressing part of the TENG’s mechanism. Peak to peak output voltage of the TENG was 1.2 V without the connection that imports the shunt resistance. After the connection, output voltage decreases to 0.9 V and under UV illumination it further decreases to 0.6 V. Thus output voltage of TENG is affected by UV exposure.