Method and apparatus for setting transparency of screen menu

The embodiments of the present invention provide a method and an apparatus for setting the transparency of a screen menu, which are used to overcome the defect in the prior art of incapability of transmitting Alpha data in a data transmission format not supporting Alpha data transmission. The method comprises: a sender and a receiver preset a data bit for transmitting Alpha (transparency) data; transmit OSD data to the receiver, wherein the OSD data comprises the Alpha data transmitted on the data bit set by the receiver; the receiver receives the OSD data; and recognize the Alpha data transmitted on the preset data bit in the OSD data.