Abstract: A method for controlling operations of a portable device through a touch-free user input in the portable device having a projector module is provided. To this end, once the projector module is driven, an application execution screen is projected through the projector module, and if a proximity event is detected, a camera module is activated to acquire an image from which a user gesture is recognized. The pointer on the projected image is controlled corresponding to the user gesture. The user gesture is used to dispatch an application as well as to control the pointer. In this way, a user may view an image projected from the projector module of the portable device without jittering while intuitively manipulate the portable device without touching the touch screen, such that user convenience is maximized.