An image forming apparatus according to the invention is characterized by including: a first input unit that inputs image data having attribute information and color information; a second input unit that inputs designated attribute information and designated color information designated by a user; a limited image generating unit that generates, when attribute information of a certain area in the image data and the designated attribute information coincide with each other and color information of the area and the designated color information coincide with each other, limited image data for limiting printing of the area from the image data; and an image recording unit that prints the limited image data. According to the image forming apparatus, it is possible to easily limit printing of a specific image designated in document data without changing the document data itself.