This application provides a communication method, apparatus, and device. The method includes: receiving a first message from a network device, where the first message includes configuration information of at least one first reference signal; receiving a second message from the network device, where the second message indicates availability of at least one second reference signal, the at least one second reference signal has a QCL relationship with at least one synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel block SSB, and the at least one first reference signal includes the at least one second reference signal; and receiving, from the network device and based on the configuration information and the second message, a reference signal that is available in the at least one second reference signal This can reduce power consumption when a terminal device in an RRC idle mode or an RRC inactive mode performs AGC tuning, time/frequency tracking, RRM measurement, beam management, or the like.