An image forming apparatus includes plural image holding bodies, plural image writing devices, a movement member, and a retractor. The image holding bodies are arranged in a predetermined direction. The image writing devices face and write images onto the respective image holding bodies. The movement member holds the image holding bodies, is able to be drawn through an opening in a cover of a housing of the image forming apparatus, and is moved in an image holding body arrangement direction. The retractor retracts the image writing devices when the movement member is drawn through the opening. The retractor includes first and second retracting mechanisms. The first retracting mechanism retracts the image writing devices to respective first retracted positions. The second retracting mechanism retracts the image writing devices to respective second retracted positions after the first retracting mechanism has retracted the image writing devices.