An image forming apparatus includes: an endless belt; a plurality of image carriers; a plurality of charging units; an exposing unit; and a plurality of developing units configured to develop an electrostatic latent image on each of the image carrier with a developer of different color to form a developer image and to retrieve a residual developer on the image carrier, wherein the endless belt is configured to be transferred the developer images formed on each of the plurality of image carriers thereon to form a color image, and transfers the color image onto a recording medium, and wherein the developing unit provided at a most upstream position with respect to the moving direction of the endless belt forms the developer image with a developer of black color, and is configured to retrieve a residual developer on the endless belt.