An image forming apparatus is provided. The image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor; a charger to charge a surface of the photoreceptor; a circulating agent applicator to apply a circulating agent to the surface of the photoreceptor while contacting the surface of the photoreceptor to form a film of the circulating agent on the surface of the photoreceptor; and a contact member contacted with the surface of the photoreceptor. The acting force, which is generated by contact of the contact member with the photoreceptor and includes a tangential force Ft, which is a force in a tangential direction at a contact portion of the contact member with the surface of the photoreceptor, and a normal force Fn, which is a force in a normal direction at the contact portion, satisfies the following relationships, 0.90≦Ft/Fn≦0.96, and 1.15 kgf≦Ft≦1.35 kgf.