The embodiments provide an automatic bias control method and apparatus for an optical transmitter. The apparatus includes: a detecting unit configured to monitor output optical power of an I/Q modulator of the optical transmitter; a calculating unit configured to calculate bias voltage indicating values of the I modulator, Q modulator and phase modulator of the I/Q modulator according to the output optical power and known modulation data; and an adjusting unit configured to adjust respectively Direct-Current (DC) bias voltages of the I modulator, Q modulator and phase modulator according to the bias voltage indicating values of the I modulator, Q modulator and phase modulator. With the embodiments, known modulation data are used to realize automatic bias control by monitoring the evenness of distribution of the power of output optical signals of the transmitter in the four quadrants of an I/Q plane.