Disclosed are a mobile terminal capable of starting data sharing through an infrared signal and a control method therefor. To this end, the mobile terminal may comprise: a wireless communication unit for performing wireless communications; and infrared transceiver for transmitting and receiving an infrared signal; a user input unit for receiving a user input; and a control unit for controlling a first infrared signal to be output through the infrared transceiver when a first user input is received through the user input unit, and controlling shared data to be transmitted to an external terminal through the wireless communication unit when a second infrared signal is received from the external terminal which has received the first infrared signal.