The point cloud encoding method includes obtaining subgroup information of N frames of point clouds, where the subgroup information includes a quantity M of subgroups into which the N frames of point clouds are divided or a quantity of frames of point clouds included in each of one or more subgroups among the M subgroups, and writing the subgroup information of the N frames of point clouds into a bitstream. The point cloud decoding method includes receiving a bitstream, parsing the bitstream to obtain subgroup information, where the subgroup information includes a quantity M of subgroups into which N frames of point clouds are divided or a quantity of frames of point clouds included in each of one or more subgroups among the M subgroups, and decoding the N frames of point clouds based on the subgroup information.