A capability configuration method and an apparatus are provided. The method includes: sending, by a network device, capability configuration information to a terminal device, where the capability configuration information is used to indicate a capability corresponding to an air-interface slice supported by the terminal device, and the capability corresponding to the air-interface slice supported by the terminal device is determined from a capability candidate set reported by the terminal device; and communicating, by the network device, with the terminal device by using the air-interface slice supported by the terminal device.