In a processing method, an electronic device may detect, in a locked state, an operation performed on a fingerprint sensor, and determine a result of matching a fingerprint collected by the fingerprint sensor with a preset fingerprint, where the matching result is matching or not matching. When an included angle between a direction of a screen and a gravity direction falls beyond a preset range, the electronic device skips executing a response corresponding to the matching result. When an included angle between a direction of a screen and a gravity direction falls within a preset range, the electronic device executes a response corresponding to the matching result.