An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit, a reading unit, a controller, and an identifying unit. The image forming unit includes multiple recording elements arrayed in a first predetermined direction and drives the recording elements in accordance with input image information so as to form an image on a recording medium that moves relatively to the recording elements in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The reading unit reads the image formed by the image forming unit and outputs read data. The controller controls the image forming unit so as to form a detection pattern in a detection-pattern region located upstream or downstream, in the second direction, of a region where the image is formed in the recording medium. The identifying unit identifies a target recording element on the basis of read data obtained by reading the detection pattern using the reading unit.