The invention relates to a fingerprint input prompting method and apparatus, and belongs to the technical field of mode identification. The method comprises the steps of receiving an ith input fingerprint image when a fingerprint template generated by combining N successively input fingerprint images is acquired, wherein i is greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to N, and N and i are integers; obtaining a superposed area between the ith input fingerprint image and a determined template image, wherein the determined template image is an image generated by combining first i-1 input fingerprint images; and when the superposed area meets a prompting condition, displaying a first prompting message, wherein the first prompting message is used for prompting operations of moving a finger in a specified direction and inputting the ith input fingerprint image again. When the fingerprint template of a user is acquired, the prompting information on moving of the finger by the user can be determined clearly, so that the efficiency of moving the finger by the user and inputting a fingerprint of a part that is not acquired by a terminal device yet is improved.