Raggedness of thin lines or edges is suppressed to improve straightness. For each of the pixels forming image data, each pixel in the image data is assigned to a printing element for outputting a pixel value of the pixel. A control unit controls printing of the image data by driving the plurality of printing elements by time-division driving in which a different driving timing is set to each printing element according to assignment. The control unit drives the printing elements such that the printing elements included in a printing element array are associated with a plurality of different driving timings and further a plurality of printing element arrays have different orders of driving timings for the respective printing elements in an arrangement direction. Distribution information assigns to the pixel a printing element driven at a reference driving timing or a driving timing close to the reference driving timing.