Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for random access in an idle state and a device. The method includes: sending, by user equipment (UE), a random access preamble to a evolved NodeB (eNB), and receiving a random access response message that is sent by the eNB according to the random access preamble; sending, by the UE, a first message to the eNB according to first uplink grant information; and receiving, by the UE, second uplink grant information sent by the eNB, and sending to-be-sent data to the eNB according to the second uplink grant information. According to the method for random access in an idle state and the device provided in the embodiments of the present invention, accuracy of uplink resource allocation is improved during random access of UE in an idle state.