An object information acquiring apparatus comprises a receiver receiving an acoustic wave propagating inside an object and convert the acoustic wave into an electric signal a scanning unit configured to causing the receiver to scan the object a control unit configured to controlling operation of the scanning unit a detection unit configured to detecting a status of the acoustic wave reception and a processing unit for acquiring characteristic information on the inside of the object on the basis of the electric signal, wherein the control unit decides whether or not the operation of the scanning unit is changed, on the basis of a result of detection by the detection unit.