An image forming apparatus includes a transfer condition setting device to set a patch image transfer condition under which multiple patch images of respective component colors are transferred from an image bearer onto a recording medium conveyor. The transfer condition setting device sets a prescribed transfer condition that decreases a difference in transfer efficiency of toner between the respective component colors when the multiple patch images of respective component colors are transferred onto the recording medium conveyor below a difference in transfer efficiency of toner between the multiple component colors caused when transferred under the same transfer condition as a multicolor toner image is transferred onto a recording medium. A correcting device corrects an image forming condition to reduce an amount of misalignment caused in the multiple component colors of the multicolor toner image based on times of outputs from a patch image position sensor.