A method and apparatus for adjusting an exposure gap in the manufacture of display panels. The method includes: setting a detection range of a detector based on a thickness of a substrate, wherein a position of a waveform corresponding to the thickness of the substrate is outside the detection range; in case a position of a waveform corresponding to a target exposure gap is outside the detection range, setting an intermediary exposure gap within the detection range; adjusting the exposure gap during detecting the exposure gap by the detector until the exposure gap is equal to the intermediary exposure gap, wherein the exposure gap is a distance between the substrate and a mask plate; and adjusting the exposure gap to the target exposure gap based on a difference between the target exposure gap and the intermediary exposure gap.