A method for the control of an automatic transmission during a change of ratio procedure, wherein the synchronous speed of rotation (SD) for the new transmission gear-stage lies under the no-load speed of rotation (LD) of a drive motor which can be connected to the transmission and wherein a gear-stage engagement actuator for the engagement of a new transmission gear-stage is then activated, when the transmission input speed of rotation (GED) has reached a predetermined speed of rotation window (F), which window also encompasses the synchronous speed of rotation (SD). In order to make such a shifting method more comfortable than previously, the invented method deviates from that procedure based on downshifting, which has been customary up to this time and rather proceeds in a upshifting mode.