A method for driving an optical pickup apparatus which improves the durability of components that drive a movable lens that moves back and forth between an original position and a drive-limit position and achieves stable operability and an extended lifetime of the optical pickup apparatus performs a first step-drive in which a movable lens moves to an original-restoration start position by being driven a specified distance toward a drive-limit position, a second step-drive in which the movable lens thereafter moves to an original position by being driven toward the original position a distance equivalent to the distance from the drive-limit position to the original position, and a third step-drive in which the movable lens thereafter moves to a default position by being driven a specified distance.