An apparatus uses a liquid ejection head including a first liquid passage communicating with an ejection port, a second liquid passage separated from the first liquid passage by a separation wall, and a movable member formed as a part of the separation wall. In the second liquid passage, a thermal energy generation device is arranged at a position opposing to the movable member. The movable member has a free end portion and a fulcrum. Recovery of the first and second liquid passages is performed by suction and/or pressurization. Upon recovery by discharging the liquid in respective liquid passage having higher flow resistance, the pressurizing force and/or the suction force for the liquid passage having higher resistance is set to be greater that the pressurizing force and/or the suction force for the other liquid passage having lower flow resistance.