An image forming apparatus, an image fixing apparatus, and an image fixing method that fix a toner image onto an recording medium in an electrophotographic process capable of effectively controlling an image fixing temperature. In one example, when a narrower recording medium, narrower than a maximum allowable size, is continuously fed at an image fixing temperature, a gap between the conveyed recording mediums is controlled to be longer than a default gap corresponding to a wider recording medium in a feeding direction to avoid an increase of the temperature of the ends of the fixing member in the longitudinal direction, to thereby maintain an allowable temperature limit.