A synchronizing method and circuit accurately and stably operates a direct spread spectrum multiple access communication system. A signal transmitted by modulating the spreading code with data at the transmission side is sampled by a signal of n times (n: 1 or larger integer) the clock speed of the spread spectrum signal at the reception side, and the correlation is detected by a digital matched filter. Consequently, the detection output in every sample in the symbol period is compared with the envelope detection output determined in every sampling period, and the sample positions for a specific number of determined samples are stored in the descending order of the output. The number of times of storage of large sample positions in the stored detection output is counted in every symbol period, and the position of the largest number of storage times is detected as the peak position. From this peak position, capturing or holding the symbol period and setting of the reception window position results.