AbstractOwing to their unique advantages, single‐electrode triboelectric nanogenerators (SETENGs) have gained wide attention and have been applied in myriad areas, especially in the burgeoning flexible/wearable electronics. However, there is still a lack of a clear understanding of SETENGs. For example, previous simulation models generally put the reference electrode perpendicularly below the working part, but in practice, the reference electrode is designed in various scenarios and noticeable differences in outputs often occur when the reference electrode changes. With SETENGs developing towards wearability and portability, its reference electrode is often required to be constructed inside the device. Consequently, to achieve optimum performance, it is essential to understand the reference electrode's influence on the outputs. Here, the influence of the reference electrode on the performance of SETENGs is systematically investigated and the targeted optimization strategies are thoroughly revealed. First, theoretical simulations are conducted to investigate the reference electrode's effect on the performance of SETENGs with different structures and in various working modes. Secondly, the theoretical results are certified through corresponding experiments. Based on the results, the targeted optimization strategies for SETENGs are comprehensively demonstrated. This work provides fundamental guidance for the development of TENGs and the design and fabrication of new electronic devices.