A facsimile apparatus having a memory for storing received data therein and a recorder for printing out image signals, comprises a retaining unit for causing the memory to retain the received data after the image signal has been printed out, an operation unit for instructing to erase the stored data in the memory, and a deletion order storage unit for storing an order of deletion of the stored data, whereby the received data stored in the memory is retained until the operation unit instructs to erase the received data.