An apparatus and method of controlling a mobile terminal by detecting a face or an eye in an input image are provided. The method includes performing face recognition on an input image facing and being captured by an image input unit equipped on the front face of the mobile terminal; determining, based on the face recognition, user state information that includes whether a user exists, a direction of the user's face, a distance from the mobile terminal, and/or a position of the user's face; and performing a predetermined function of the mobile terminal according to the user state information. According to the method, functions of the mobile terminal may be controlled without direct inputs from the user.