The invention discloses a safe tool replacing method based on a tool life application mode, and belongs to the technical field of numerical control machining safety tool replacing. The safe tool replacing method comprises the steps that a safety plane is arranged, when a tool reaches the safety plane, a tool residual life value detection subroutine is called to detect a tool residual life value, and when it is detected that the tool residual life value is less than a set value, current state parameters of the stored tool are recorded through a PLC variable group; then a tool replacing subroutine is called to replace the tool with a new tool; and after the tool is replaced with the new tool, the current state parameters stored in the PLC variable group are read, and the new tool is adjustedto be in a machining state identical with the machining state of the old tool. The safe tool replacing method has the beneficial effects that automatic detection for tool replacing based on the toolresidual life is achieved, the consistency of working states of the tool before and after tool replacing is ensured, the part machining quality risk after tool replacing is lowered, tool replacing issafe and reliable, and tool feeding and retracting are safe and reliable.