An object control method and apparatus of the user device using hovering gestures are provided. The object control method includes displaying at least one object on a display screen, detecting a multi-finger hovering gesture for selecting the object on the display screen, activating a camera upon detection of the multi-finger hovering gesture, recognizing a hand in a picture input through the camera, and entering, when the hand disappears out of a viewing angle of the camera, a file transfer standby state for transmitting the selected object.