An apparatus includes an adjusting mechanism configured to change a gap between a print head and a continuous sheet, and the adjusting mechanism controls the gap to be larger than that at the time of printing when a splice of the continuous sheet passes the print head. An unprintable area is set on each of the upstream side and the downstream side of the splice, each having at least a width corresponding to a sum of a length of the plurality of print heads in the direction of sheet conveyance and a distance of movement of the continuous sheet in a period required for the adjusting mechanism to change the gap, and the printing is continued while avoiding the unprintable area.