The invention provides an IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor) control method and device; the IGBT control method comprises: acquiring life consumption index of an upper bridge arm and life consumption index of a lower bridge arm in the IGBT; determining the bridge arm with active short circuit according to the life consumption index of the upper bridge arm and the life consumption index of the lower bridge arm. In the IGBT control method and device provided by an embodiment of the invention, life consumption indexes of the upper and lower bridge arms of the IGBT are compared, the bridge arm with active short circuit is selected, alternate working of the upper bridge arm and three-phase lower bridge arm is controlled, and motor controller life is extended accordingly; in addition, the method in the embodiment of the invention does not involve changes of hardware in a motor and a motor controller, and is universally applicable and low in cost.