The present disclosure provides a message display method and a terminal device. The terminal device obtains message sources published on a social platform; classifies the message sources into read messages and unread messages according to states of the message sources; provides a user interface associated with the social platform, the user interface including a first tab and a second tab for indicating the states of the message sources; respectively associates the unread messages with the first tab, and the read messages with the second tab; receives a message source refresh request from the user interface; and in response to the message source refresh request, displays the unread messages under the first tab of the user interface.