The invention discloses a method and an apparatus for executing a program. The method includes: obtaining a related operation item of an object to be operated, and displaying an operation icon corresponding to the related operation item, and a direction of pointing from an original display coordinate of the object to be operated towards a display coordinate of the operation icon is an operation icon direction; according to the original display coordinate of the object to be operated and a display coordinate of the object after being dragged by the user, calculating a movement direction of the object to be operated; and starting to execute a functional operation corresponding to the operation icon when it is detected that the movement direction of the object to be operated is the same as the operation icon direction. Therefore, the invention can simplify program executing steps, and make operations intuitive and natural.