A method and apparatus for initial acquisition using an adaptive threshold includes performing a sort operation of a plurality of full-length correlator outputs and updating the adaptive threshold. Partial-length correlator outputs are generated and compared with an adaptive threshold. If a partial-length correlator output for a particular PN sequence timing is greater than or equal to the adaptive threshold, a full-length correlator output for that PN sequence timing is generated. A sort operation of a plurality of full-length correlator outputs is performed, and sort results are used to update the adaptive threshold. If a partial-length correlator output for a particular PN sequence timing is less than the adaptive threshold, a full-length correlator output for that PN sequence timing is not generated.