A short-circuit protection apparatus includes a first detection branch, a second detection branch, and a controller. The first detection branch includes a first sampling resistor and a first sampling capacitor that is connected in parallel to the first sampling resistor. A difference between an absolute value of a second sampling voltage and an absolute value of a first sampling voltage is a first difference. The controller obtains a comparison result between an absolute value of a first sampling voltage at two terminals of the first sampling resistor and an absolute value of a second sampling voltage at two terminals of the second sampling resistor, and if a difference between the absolute value of the second sampling voltage and the absolute value of the first sampling voltage is a second difference and the second difference is less than the first difference, controls the target circuit to stop working.