The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for determining a playback mode. The method includes: obtaining a streaming media data packet; where the streaming media data packet includes at least an encoding format and a streaming media type of streaming media data; the streaming media type includes at least one of a video media type or an audio video media type; and determining, according to the encoding format and the streaming media type of the streaming media data, a plugin-free playback mode for playing back the streaming media data.