Image forming apparatus having a delayed image forming mode

An image forming apparatus comprising:

• a receiving portion configured to receive a signal of an image forming job for forming an image on a recording material;
• an image forming portion configured to form the image on the recording material on the basis of the signal of the image forming job received by said receiving portion;
• an image heating portion configured to heat the image, formed on the recording material by said image forming portion, in a nip where the recording material is nipped and fed;
• an inputting portion configured to input a waiting time;
• and
• a controller configured to perform an operation in an image forming mode so that an image forming operation is not performed until a lapse of the waiting time inputted from said inputting portion from the reception of the signal of the image forming job, and then the image forming operation is started based on the lapse of the waiting time from reception of the signal of the image forming job in a stand-by state in which said image forming apparatus waits for the reception of the signal of the image forming job,
• wherein said controller causes the image heating portion to start a heating operation of said heating portion when a set time elapses after receiving the signal of the image forming job, and the set time is set according to the stand-by state and is shorter than the waiting time.