A drying device includes a light irradiation part that irradiates a recording medium on a recording-medium movement route with light to evaporate moisture contained in droplets attached to the recording medium, and an air blowing part that is positioned on a downstream side from the light irradiation part in a recording-medium movement direction, and blows air onto the recording medium on the recording-medium movement route. The drying device changes the distance between a light irradiation position of the light irradiation part on the recording-medium movement route and an air-blowing target position of the air blowing part on the recording-medium movement route.