A medium feeding apparatus includes a feed roller that feeds media. A separation roller nips the media together with the feed roller to separate it and is rotated in a first direction to feed the media. A motor applies driving torque to the separation roller in a second direction opposite to the first direction. A torque limiter, when rotation torque applied to the separation roller in the first direction exceeds a preset upper torque limit, causes the separation roller to rotate at idle in the first direction independently of the driving torque. During feeding operations, including feeding of first and second media, a controller that controls the motor provides a break period in which the motor is not driven. The break period contains the timing when a rear edge of the first medium leaves a nip position between the feeding and separation rollers.