A synchronization method includes uploading, by a first terminal, data to a server, where the server is associated with at least one second terminal; receiving, by the first terminal, a notification sent by the server, where the notification includes information of the at least one second terminal; determining, by the first terminal according to the notification, that the first terminal and the at least one second terminal are in a same local area network; and sending, by the first terminal, the data to the at least one second terminal by using the local area network. In this way, data synchronization between a source device and a target device is implemented in a local area network in which the source device and the target device are located. Thus, time consumption of synchronization is reduced, and synchronization efficiency is improved.