A preview display method includes displaying, by a first terminal device, a first preview screen in response to starting a camera application of the first terminal device, sending, by the first terminal device to a second terminal device by using short-range wireless communication based on user's operations on controls at different layers in the camera application, establishing, by the first terminal device, the short-range wireless communication connection to the second terminal device, displaying, by the first terminal device, a second preview screen split into a first display area and a second display area, wherein the preview image collected by the camera in real time is displayed only in the first display area, and wherein first image information comprising display content of a second display of the second terminal device is displayed in the second display area.