A sheet conveying device includes an attraction belt, multiple rollers, a charging device, and a contacting and separating device. The attraction belt is arranged to face the upper surface of a stacked sheet stack. The multiple rollers stretch the attraction belt with tension. The charging device charges a surface of the attraction belt. The contacting and separating device causes the attraction belt to come into contact with and separate from the sheet stack, with different tensions set for the attraction belt at a contact position in contact with the uppermost sheet of the sheet stack and the attraction belt at a separation position separate from the sheet stack.