Embodiments of this application disclose a channel access method and apparatus. The method includes: A first device determines a first frame, where the first frame includes first indication information, the first indication information indicates a first AP in at least one access point AP to perform contention access for a first traffic in a first slot, and the first traffic includes a traffic for which channel access is performed by using a priority interframe space PIFS; and the first device sends the first frame to the first AP. According to embodiments of this application, contention and a collision with another AP in a channel access process are avoided, to improve quality of service of a traffic.