Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method for displaying application storage space and a terminal, so as to enable a user to intuitively learn a use state of application storage space, so that the storage space can be cleaned in time to ensure normal and efficient running of a terminal. The method in the embodiments of the present invention includes: first displaying, by a terminal, a first icon on a desktop in first display mode; and when determining that storage space used by a first application corresponding to the first icon is greater than a preset storage threshold, displaying, by the terminal, the first icon in preset display mode that is different from the first display mode.