An image forming apparatus includes : an image forming device (110) to form a toner image onto a recording medium by transferring the toner image directly or indirectly onto the recording medium, the image forming device (110) including a developing unit (113) to develop a latent image formed on an image carrier into the toner image; a first controller (151) to determine whether a first estimated time period is greater than a first predetermined time period (T1), the first estimated time period being a time period from a time when image formation of one page of the image completes to an estimated time when image formation of a subsequent page of the image will start, and to stop operating the developing unit (113) based on a determination indicating that the first estimated time period is greater than the first predetermined time period; and a second controller (151) to determine, after determination of a time when image formation of the subsequent page of the image starts, whether an updated first estimated time period reflecting the determined time when image formation of the subsequent page of the image starts, is equal to or less than the first predetermined time period (T1), and to start operating the developing unit (113) based on a determination indicating that the updated first estimated time period is equal to or less than the first predetermined time period.