A fixing device fixing a toner image onto a recording sheet passing through a nip, the fixing device including: a pressure structure and a heating structure forming the nip when in pressure contact; and a switching unit selectively switching a pressure contact state of the heating structure and the pressure structure between a first state, a second state, and a release state. The switching unit includes: a first switcher directly switching the pressure contact state between the first state and the second state without switching the pressure contact state to the release state; a second switcher switching the pressure contact state between the first state and the release state; an acquirer acquiring information relating to which state the pressure contact state is to be switched into; and a controller controlling the first switcher and the second switcher based on the acquired information to switch the pressure contact state.