A power converting apparatus includes a rectifier that converts alternating-current power from an alternating-current power supply into direct-current power, a short-circuit unit that short-circuits the alternating-current power supply via a reactor, and a control unit that controls a short-circuit operation of the short-circuit unit. The control unit changes the number of times of the short-circuit operation during a half cycle of the alternating-current power supply on the basis of a load condition and sets a period from a start to an end of the short-circuit operation during the half cycle of the alternating-current power supply after the change of the number of times of the short-circuit operation to be different from a period from a start to an end of the short-circuit operation during the half cycle of the alternating-current power supply before the change of the number of times of the short-circuit operation.