The invention relates to a method for operating an electric-arc furnace comprising at least one electrode and one tapping method step. At the beginning of the tapping step, the energy supply to the at least one electrode (2) of the electric-arc furnace (1) is not stopped and the energy is still supplied to the at least one electrode (2) even during the tapping step. Said step can begin before thetraditional operational modes of an electric-arc furnace (1). This method saves time, reduces the consumption of electrodes and energy, and also increases productivity. The desired energy content of the raw steel (8) is secured by the pre-calculation of the alteration of the energy content of the melt (4) during the tapping step and the danger of over-heating is compensated.