An optical pickup includes a detector, a plurality of light guiding units, and a switching controller. The detector detects, using a plurality of detection areas, a reflected light beam that is emitted from a predetermined light source and is reflected off an optical recording medium. Each of the light guiding units has a specific light guide pattern and inputs a predetermined part of the reflected light beam to a predetermined detection area in accordance with the light guide pattern. The switching controller switches and selects the light guiding unit that acts on the reflected light beam from among the plurality of light guiding units according to a predetermined switching condition.