An image recording apparatus includes a recording head and a first conveyance unit. An applying unit applies the recording medium on the first conveyance unit with treatment liquid. One end of a second conveyance unit is connected on an upstream side from the applying unit disposed on the first conveyance unit and the other end is connected on a downstream side from the applying unit disposed on the first conveyance unit and on the upstream side from the recording head in the conveyance direction, the second conveyance unit conveying the recording medium. A conveyance switching unit is disposed on the one end of the second conveyance unit and switches conveyance of the recording medium to the applying unit side of the first conveyance unit or to the second conveyance unit side according to a content of recording data.