The invention provides a fixing method including conveying a recording medium on which a toner image has been formed using a fixing belt, in a state in which the fixing belt contacts with a surface of the recording medium on which the toner image is formed, at least from a fixing portion in which the toner image is fixed by heating and pressing the recording medium to a cooling portion in which the recording medium after fixing is cooled, wherein the ten-point average roughness (Rz) of a surface of the fixing belt contacting with the recording medium is 0.7 .mu.m or less or the filtered maximum waviness in every convex portion present on a surface of the fixing belt contacting with the recording medium is 50 .mu.m or less. The invention also provides a fixing apparatus using the method and an image forming apparatus using the method.