This application relates to the wireless communication field, and in particular, to critical basic service set (BSS) parameter management methods and apparatus applicable to multiple links, for example, in a wireless local area network supporting the 802.11 be standard. In an example method includes, a first access point (AP) in a first access point multi-link device (AP MLD) generates and sends a first frame. The first frame indicates critical BSS parameter update count values corresponding to a plurality of APs in the first AP MLD and critical BSS parameter update count values corresponding to a plurality of APs in a second AP MLD. The second AP MLD is an AP MLD to which a nontransmitted AP belongs. The nontransmitted AP is in a multiple basic service set identifier (BSSID) set including the first AP.