The invention provides a recognition method for transformer saturation under the condition of complex surge. The recognition method comprises the following steps of (1) reading three-phase current sampling values at the two sides of protected equipment; (2) judging whether transformer-saturation recognition criterion is started according to the read three-phase current sampling values at the two sides of the protected equipment, if the judgment result is yes, starting the transformer-saturation recognition criterion and executing the step (3), or returning the step (1); (3) judging whether the aperiodic component of current becomes lower; (4) judging whether differential protection acts; and (5) carrying out self-adaptive adjustment on a constant value of a differential-protection acting platform. The recognition method provided by the invention has the advantages that TA saturation can be effectively recognized, differential-protection false action caused by TA saturation in the period of complex surge is prevented, the internal fault condition can not be misjudged as TA saturation, and the sensitivity of protection when the internal faults occur is not influenced.