Image forming apparatus for regulating removal of developer storing portion, and regulation releasing method

A regulation releasing method that is executed in an image forming apparatus including an attachment portion to which a developer storing portion that stores developer is attached, a regulation portion that regulates a removal of the developer storing portion attached to the attachment portion from the attachment portion, and an image forming portion including a storing portion that stores the developer, the image forming portion configured to form an image by using the developer stored in the storing portion, the regulation releasing method comprising:

• a supplying step of, when a storage amount of the developer in the storing portion is less than or equal to a predetermined first threshold, supplying the developer to the storing portion from the developer storing portion attached to the attachment portion;
• a first releasing step of, when the storage amount of the developer in the storing portion is less than or equal to a second threshold, which is lower than the first threshold, restricting operation of the image forming portion and releasing regulation on the removal of the developer storing portion imposed by the regulation portion;
• an acquisition step of acquiring an expected amount of developer to be used by a user;
• and
• a second releasing step of, when the expected amount of developer to be used acquired by the acquisition step is greater than or equal to a predetermined reference value that is determined based on a remaining amount of the developer in the developer storing portion attached to the attachment portion, releasing regulation on the removal of the developer storing portion imposed by the regulation portion.