To provide a control method of a linear motor which can automatically transfer a mover of a linear motor to a position where a pole can be safely and accurately detected even if the mover is at an end of a stroke.

This control method of a linear motor includes stoppers 61 and 62 defining a section in which a mover 3 is moved straight relatively to a stator 4, limit switches 51 and 52 which transmit signals prohibiting the transfer of the mover and are placed within a section between the stoppers, and a position detector 2 which detects a position of the mover 3 relative to the stator 4 and controls the linear motor by detecting a pole immediately after a power supply is closed. The signals of the limit switches are recognized before and while the pole is detected and, if it is decided that the mover 3 is at an end of a stroke, the mover 3 is transferred toward a center by a propellant force command, a phase angle of the stator is successively renewed, and the transfer toward the center is repeated until the transfer distance of the mover 3 is sufficient for the pole detection.