An image forming apparatus includes a unit for inputting image information from an external apparatus, a unit for forming an image on a recording medium, a unit for reading an original, a unit for detecting a jam of the recording medium, a unit for being manually operated by an operator, and a unit for controlling a recovery operation from a jammed state. The apparatus includes a first mode for forming an image corresponding to the input image information, and a second mode for forming a composite image by synthesizing the image corresponding to the input image information with an image of the original read by the reading unit. The control unit starts the recovery operation from the jammed state in response to release of the jam in the first mode, and starts the recovery operation from the jammed state in response to a manual operation of the operation unit by the operator after release of the jam in the second mode.