Embodiments of this application provide a session processing method and apparatus. When a quantity of sessions of a terminal device that each have an activated user plane connection is not less than a quantity threshold, the terminal device determines to deactivate a user plane connection of at least one first session, where the sessions that each have the activated user plane connection include the at least one first session. The terminal device sends a first request message to a first network element, where the first request message includes indication information, and the indication information indicates to deactivate the user plane connection of the at least one first session.