The invention provides a method of managing the braking of an aircraft having a plurality of brakes comprising friction elements, the method comprising the following steps for at least one group of brakes: estimating an energy level (□E) to be dissipated by the brakes of the group; and estimating individual braking setpoints (Fi) for each of the brakes of the group so that the individual braking setpoints make it possible, at least under normal operating conditions of the brakes, to implement braking that dissipates said energy level, the individual braking setpoints also being determined so as to satisfy at least one other given operating objective.