An image forming apparatus (200) includes an image forming unit (1) to form an image on a medium (10, 100); a reciprocally moving carriage (12) on which to mount the image forming unit (1); a carriage position detector (13) to detect a position of the carriage (12); a conveyance unit (2) to convey the medium; a conveyance path (3) of the medium (10, 100); a regulator (4, 204) to regulate a distance between the medium (10, 100) and the image forming unit (1) and movable in a moving direction of the carriage (12); a regulator detector (17a), mounted on the carriage (12), to detect the regulator (4, 204); a drive unit (208) to move the regulator (4, 204); and a controller (500) that controls a position of the regulator (4, 204) based on a reading from the carriage position when the regulator detector (17a) detects the regulator (4, 204).