The luminescence of Er3+:YAlO3 in ultraviolet, visible and infrared ranges under the 518 nm excitation of the multiples 2H11/2 have been investigated. Ultraviolet (275 nm and 318 nm), violet (405 nm and 413 nm) and blue (474 nm)upconversion and infrared downconversion luminescence has been observed. By means of measuring the fluorescence decay curves and using the theory of rate equations, the luminescence kinetics was studied in detail and the processes of energy transfer upconversion (ETU) and excitation state absorption (ESA) were proposed to explain the upconversion phenomena.