The embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a method for initiating and terminating a scan of a wireless device, and a wireless device. A sequence of time-of-initiation including a specified number of historical initiation time points is provided. The method comprises: receiving a scan OFF instruction from a requester; calculating a time difference between a current time point and an earliest historical initiation time point in the sequence of time-of-initiation, and comparing the time difference with the specified period to determine whether to terminate a current scan, in response to the scan OFF instruction; and continuing with the current scan until a target time point, and terminating the current scan at the target time point, if it is determined not to terminate the current scan. The technical solutions provided in the embodiments can improve speed of response of the wireless device to the scan ON and OFF instructions.