A recording device presses a thermal head, where heating elements are arranged in a direction orthogonal to a transport direction of the print medium, against a printing surface of the print medium at a printing portion on a transport path of a print medium transported by a transport means, controls the flow of current selectively applied to the heating elements, and performs desired printing at a printing area on the printing surface. The print medium has a shape having portions where the contact lengths of the printing surface coming in contact with the heating elements in a width direction orthogonal to a transport direction of the print medium are different in the transport direction. A pressing load of the thermal head is frequently adjusted according to the contact length of the printing surface of the print medium.