A fixing device includes an endless belt rotatable in a given direction of rotation and a thermal conductor to conduct heat from a heater to the endless belt. A pressure rotator is pressed against the endless belt to form a fixing nip therebetween. An abutment contacts the endless belt to restrict a trajectory of the endless belt to bring the endless belt into contact with the thermal conductor in a particular circumferential span spanning from a particular position upstream from the fixing nip to the fixing nip in the direction of rotation of the endless belt and to separate the endless belt from the thermal conductor in at least a part of an outboard circumferential span outboard from the particular circumferential span in the direction of rotation of the endless belt.