An image processing apparatus includes a reading unit, an acquiring unit, a transmission control unit, and a printing control unit. The reading unit reads images of multiple pages of originals. The acquiring unit acquires device information from connected child devices. The transmission control unit determines a child device which takes charge of part of a printing process of the read images and images to be transmitted to the child device based on the acquired device information, and transmits the determined images to the determined child device. The printing control unit determines printing order according to the acquired device information, and transmits an instruction to print the images in the determined printing order to the child device.