An image inspecting apparatus includes circuitry. The circuitry is configured to determine, based on a result of comparison of scanned image data and sample image data, whether an image indicated by the scanned image data has a printing error, the scanned image data being generated from a document image formed and output according to document image data on a recording medium and read, the sample image data corresponding to the document image data. The circuitry is configured to generate display image data representing a pseudo defect image having the printing error added to a position different from a position of the printing error in the image indicated by the scanned image data, in response to determination that the image indicated by the scanned image data has the printing error.