This application discloses a terminal roaming method and apparatus. A terminal sends, to a first AP associated with the terminal, an action frame that is used to request to associate with a second AP. A receiver address of the action frame is an address of the first AP, and the action frame further includes an identifier of the second AP. When the terminal receives a response frame sent by the first AP for the action frame, and the response frame indicates that association succeeds, the terminal establishes association with the second AP. The terminal first establishes the association with the second AP by using the first AP, and then changes an operating channel to an operating channel of the second AP. Now the terminal can receive and send data on the operating channel of the second AP.