A magneto-optical recording medium includes at least a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, a third magnetic layer, a non-magnetic intermediate layer and a fourth magnetic layer which are layered in this order, the first magnetic layer being formed of a perpendicularly magnetized film having a relatively small wall coercivity and a relatively large wall mobility compared with the third magnetic layer in the vicinity of a predetermined temperature, the second magnetic layer being formed of a magnetic film whose Curie temperature is lower than the Curie temperatures of the first magnetic layer and third magnetic layer, the fourth magnetic layer being a perpendicularly magnetized film with a uniform magnetization direction and forming a region having a uniform magnetization direction in the first magnetic layer by magnetostatic coupling with the first magnetic layer when the second magnetic layer is heated to a predetermined temperature or a higher temperature.