The present disclosure relates to a communication method and system for converging a 5th-Generation (5G) communication system for supporting higher data rates beyond a 4th-Generation (4G) system with a technology for Internet of Things (IoT). The present disclosure may be applied to intelligent services based on the 5G communication technology and the IoT-related technology, such as smart home, smart building, smart city, smart car, connected car, health care, digital education, smart retail, security and safety services. Subscriber profile management in a wireless communication system is disclosed. A method for operating a user device, the method comprises: determining a state change of a direct connection with another device; and controlling a state of a profile including the same subscriber identification number as a subscriber identification number assigned to the other device, according to the state change of the direct connection.