The X-ray computed tomography (CT) technique was used to study the effects of different rape intercropping densities (CK: clean tillage; L: low-density intercropping; M: medium-density intercropping; H: high-density intercropping) on the characteristics of soil macropores in the apple orchard. The results showed that compared with the CK, rape intercropping improved the characteristics of soil macropores between rows of apple trees (0—60 cm), and the number of soil macropores, macropores' area and macro porosity in each soil layer were significantly higher (P<0.05). The effects of different intercropping densities on the macropores were different in the same soil layer, except for 10-20 cm, the improvement effect of the medium-density intercropping on soil macro porosity was significantly better than that of other treatments. Under the medium-density treatment, the number of macropores (d > 1 mm) was large, and the difference in macropores number between soil layers was small, and the rounding rate was the highest in 0-30 cm soil profile. The soil macropore characteristic parameters of medium and high-density rape intercropping were better than those of the clean tillage and low-density treatments, and that in the medium-density intercropping treatment, the distribution of macropores was more uniform and the shape was more regular, which was an appropriate intercropping density to improve soil structure for dryland apple orchards in the Loess Plateau.