An image forming apparatus includes a direct transfer control unit that controls a direct transfer unit and a first image forming unit so as to directly transfer an image onto a transfer sheet, an indirect transfer control unit that controls an intermediate transfer unit and a second image forming unit so as to transfer images onto the intermediate transfer unit, a secondary transfer control unit that controls contact/separation between the direct transfer unit and the intermediate transfer unit, a first alignment control unit that corrects an amount of misalignment among the images formed on the intermediate transfer unit, thereby performing a first alignment control process, and a second alignment control unit that corrects an amount of misalignment of an image directly transferred onto the transfer sheet with respect to the image on which the first alignment control process has been performed, thereby performing a second alignment control process.