A remote control apparatus includes a display unit that displays an operation screen for remote control of an image forming apparatus, a communication unit that, when operation input is a display instruction to display a character input screen, receives character type information indicating a type of characters to be input in the character input screen from the image forming apparatus, and a display control unit that, when the character type information is received, activates a handwriting input application installed in the remote control apparatus and displays a handwriting input screen for the handwriting input application on the display unit, on condition that the character type information indicates a first character type. When the character type information indicates a second character type different from the first character type, the display control unit displays a character input screen for input of the second character type without activating the handwriting input application.