A liquid discharge apparatus includes a liquid discharge head configured to discharge a liquid, a liquid cartridge configured to store the liquid to be discharged from the liquid discharge head, a holder to which the liquid cartridge is detachably attachable, a timer configured to countdown a time, and circuitry configured to control the liquid discharge head to discharge the liquid as a discharge operation, control the liquid discharge head to stop the discharge operation, determine an attachment or a detachment of the liquid cartridge to or from the holder while the discharge operation is stopped, control the timer to prepare countdown of the time in response to a detachment of the liquid cartridge from the holder, and control the liquid discharge head to continue stopping the discharge operation in response to an attachment of the liquid cartridge to the holder before the time has reached zero.