An image heating apparatus includes a heating rotatable member for heating an image on a recording material at a nip; a belt cooperative with the heating rotatable member to form the nip; an elastic pad and a rigid pad, disposed in the order named along a feeding direction for the recording material, for pressing the belt toward the heating rotatable member at the nip; and urging means for urging the elastic pad and the rigid pad toward the belt, wherein the urging means contacts the rigid pad to the belt earlier than the elastic pad.