A shutter opening apparatus and method for opening a shutter of a cartridge outside an optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus. The shutter opening apparatus includes an opening section mounted on a longitudinal opening of a tray for opening the shutter, a feeding section moved by the opening section for feeding the tray into an inner portion of the optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus, and a driving section for driving the opening section and the feeding section. The opening section includes a worm shaft rotatably mounted across the longitudinal opening, a first bevel gear rotated by the driving section and which is engaged with the worm shaft, and a bracket moved by the worm shaft for opening the shutter. The feeding section is movably installed on the tray and includes a slide bar moved between a first and second positions by the bracket, and a bias spring disposed between the try and the slide bar to bias the slide bar toward the first position. At one end of the slide bar, a rack to be engaged with the driving section is formed. The driving section includes a motor for generating a driving power, a second bevel gear rotated by the motor and engaged with the first bevel gear when the slide bar is at the second position, and a loading gear engaged with the rack when the slide bar is at the second position. The shutter of the cartridge is opened without failure outside the optical disc recording and reproducing apparatus, so the optical disc recording and reproducing device has a smaller size, and the loading errors of the disc are prevented.