This application provides a path switching method and a related apparatus. In the path switching process, an ECMP table includes a first ECMP index of a first path group and a second ECMP index of a second path group; when all paths in the first path group have failed, a path group identifier corresponding to the first ECMP index may be changed from valid to invalid in the ECMP table, indicating that all paths in the first path group are unavailable. In this case, a path group identifier corresponding to the second ECMP index is valid, indicating that the second path group includes an available path, thereby completing switching between an active path and a standby path. In this process, only an identifier corresponding to the ECMP index needs to be updated, and therefore, the time consumed is relatively short, and the path switching delay can be effectively reduced.