The invention relates to a transparent super-hydrophobic self-cleaning coating. Silicon dioxide nanoparticles with active hydrophobic groups are synthesized by virtue of a one-step direct hydrolysis method, a coating is prepared, and then a high-transparency self-cleaning coating is obtained. The self-cleaning coating comprises the following components in percentage by weight: 1%-10% of the silicon dioxide nanoparticles with the active hydrophobic groups, 90%-98% of alcohol solvents and 0.1%-1% of an aid. After the film formation, the light transmittance of the coating is higher than 98%, and the water contact angle is larger than 150 degrees. The coating has good self-cleaning performance and can be widely applied to architectural glass curtain walls, automotive glass, photovoltaic assemblies, optical devices and the like.