The present invention provides a detection method and apparatus for fingerprint detection. The method comprises: S1. detecting a capacitance on a detection electrode which a fingerprint detection apparatus comprises; S2: when the capacitance exceeds a predetermined capacitance threshold, enabling a part of detection units of a fingerprint detection array to perform fingerprint pre-detection, and acquiring data information of the fingerprint pre-detection; and S3: when the data information exceeds a first predetermined threshold, enabling all the detection units of the fingerprint detection array to perform fingerprint scanning. With the method for fingerprint detection according to the embodiments of the present invention, the fingerprint detection array is initiated for full-array scanning upon reliable and effective identification that a finger touches a fingerprint detection apparatus, which greatly reduces the power consumption of the fingerprint detection.