The present invention provides a method for opening a file in a folder, including: obtaining an operation performed on an icon area of a folder; determining whether the operation is performed on a preset area in the icon area of the folder, where the preset area displays information about a preset file in the folder; and if the operation is performed on the preset area in the icon area of the folder, opening the preset file. The present invention further provides a corresponding terminal. In embodiments of the present invention, an icon of a file in the folder is displayed on an icon of the folder. When the folder is not opened, a user may directly view, from the icon of the folder, an icon of a file that needs to be opened, so as to directly implement a trigger operation of opening the file, which is simple and convenient.