A search space configuration method, comprising: monitoring, by a user equipment, at least one synchronization signal block; obtaining, by the user equipment, configuration information of a search space corresponding to a detected synchronization signal block, wherein the configuration information comprises QCL modulus information and information about a discovery reference signal transmission window, wherein the information about the discovery reference signal transmission window comprises a position index of a smallest transmittable synchronization signal block and/or a position index of a largest transmittable synchronization signal block, wherein the QCL modulus information includes a maximum quantity of different QCL assumptions allowed to be included in a discovery reference signal, DRS, transmission, or a maximum quantity of beams with which the network-side device sends a DRS; and determining, by the user equipment, a position of a search space for a physical downlink control channel PDCCH based on time synchronization information of the detected synchronization signal block and the configuration information; characterized in that the time synchronization information comprises a position index, slot index, and frame index of the synchronization signal block; and the determining by the user equipment a position of a search space for a PDCCH based on time synchronization information of the detected synchronization signal block and the configuration information comprises: calculating, by the user equipment, a slot index and a frame index that are of the search space for the PDCCH corresponding to the detected synchronization signal block by using the slot index of the synchronization signal block, the position index of the synchronization signal block, the frame index of the synchronization signal block, a time offset comprised in the configuration information, the QCL modulus information, the position index of the smallest transmittable synchronization signal block, the position index of the largest transmittable synchronization signal block, and a quantity of frames of a period for initial access. monitoring, by a user equipment, at least one synchronization signal block; obtaining, by the user equipment, configuration information of a search space corresponding to a detected synchronization signal block, wherein the configuration information comprises QCL modulus information and information about a discovery reference signal transmission window, wherein the information about the discovery reference signal transmission window comprises a position index of a smallest transmittable synchronization signal block and/or a position index of a largest transmittable synchronization signal block, wherein the QCL modulus information includes a maximum quantity of different QCL assumptions allowed to be included in a discovery reference signal, DRS, transmission, or a maximum quantity of beams with which the network-side device sends a DRS; and determining, by the user equipment, a position of a search space for a physical downlink control channel PDCCH based on time synchronization information of the detected synchronization signal block and the configuration information; characterized in that the time synchronization information comprises a position index, slot index, and frame index of the synchronization signal block; and the determining by the user equipment a position of a search space for a PDCCH based on time synchronization information of the detected synchronization signal block and the configuration information comprises: calculating, by the user equipment, a slot index and a frame index that are of the search space for the PDCCH corresponding to the detected synchronization signal block by using the slot index of the synchronization signal block, the position index of the synchronization signal block, the frame index of the synchronization signal block, a time offset comprised in the configuration information, the QCL modulus information, the position index of the smallest transmittable synchronization signal block, the position index of the largest transmittable synchronization signal block, and a quantity of frames of a period for initial access.