An object of the present invention is to provide an image heating apparatus having a flexible sleeve of an excellent durability. To this end, an image heating apparatus according to the present invention includes: a flexible sleeve; a driving roller contacting an external periphery surface of the sleeve and serving to rotate the sleeve; a sliding member contacting an internal periphery surface of the sleeve to form a nip portion in cooperation with the driving roller; and a restricting member for restricting a movement of the sleeve in a generatrix direction of the sleeve, wherein, within an edge face of the sleeve in a mounted state on the apparatus, equally bisected by an imaginary plane substantially parallel to a nip plane of the nip portion into a first area closer to the nip portion and a second area farther from the nip portion, the restricting member executes a restricting action only on the second area.