Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a message processing method and apparatus. The method includes: determining a transmission type of information to be sent to a terminal device and a transmission parameter corresponding to the transmission type; and sending, to the terminal device, a notification message carrying an indication field, where the indication field is used to indicate the transmission type and the transmission parameter, so that the terminal device receives data based on the transmission type and the transmission parameter; and at least one state of the indication field indicates that the transmission type is a first multiuser superposition transmission type, or at least one state of the indication field indicates that the transmission type is a third multiuser superposition transmission type. Based on the message processing method and apparatus provided in the embodiments of the present disclosure, transmission efficiency of a system can be increased.