A fixing device (20; 20') comprising: a fixing member; an opposing member disposed opposite the fixing member to contact the fixing member to form a nip between the fixing member and the opposing member through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes; a plurality of separators provided downstream from the nip in a recording medium conveyance direction to contact and separate from the fixing member independently from each other, wherein each separator includes a front edge portion and a base portion and is rotatable supported by a first axis, wherein the plurality of separators contacting the fixing member to separate the recording medium having passed between the fixing member and the opposing member from the fixing member; a plurality of contact-direction biasing members connected to the base portion of the plurality of separators to bias the plurality of separators to cause the plurality of separators to contact the fixing member; a releasing member rotatively provided to contact and separate from the plurality of separators, wherein the releasing member is rotatable about a second axis and is provided on the base portion of the separator to release contact of the separator, to the fixing roller and the releasing member is movable away from the base portion of the separator, wherein the releasing member contacting the plurality of separators to cause the plurality of separators to separate from the fixing member against the bias of the plurality of contact-direction biasing members; a solenoid connected to the releasing member to separate the releasing member from the plurality of separators to cause the plurality of contact-direction biasing members connected to the plurality of separators to cause the plurality of separators to contact the fixing member; a recording medium detector (34; 39) provided upstream from the nip in the recording medium conveyance direction to detect the recording medium; and a controller connected to the solenoid to control the solenoid according to a detection signal provided by the recording medium detector (34; 39), characterized in that the solenoid is turned on when a given first time period (ΔT1) elapses after the recording medium detector (34; 39) is turned on and the solenoid is turned off when a given second time period (ΔT2) elapses after the recording medium detector (34; 39) no longer detects the recording medium. a fixing member; an opposing member disposed opposite the fixing member to contact the fixing member to form a nip between the fixing member and the opposing member through which a recording medium bearing a toner image passes; a plurality of separators provided downstream from the nip in a recording medium conveyance direction to contact and separate from the fixing member independently from each other, wherein each separator includes a front edge portion and a base portion and is rotatable supported by a first axis, wherein the plurality of separators contacting the fixing member to separate the recording medium having passed between the fixing member and the opposing member from the fixing member; a plurality of contact-direction biasing members connected to the base portion of the plurality of separators to bias the plurality of separators to cause the plurality of separators to contact the fixing member; a releasing member rotatively provided to contact and separate from the plurality of separators, wherein the releasing member is rotatable about a second axis and is provided on the base portion of the separator to release contact of the separator, to the fixing roller and the releasing member is movable away from the base portion of the separator, wherein the releasing member contacting the plurality of separators to cause the plurality of separators to separate from the fixing member against the bias of the plurality of contact-direction biasing members; a solenoid connected to the releasing member to separate the releasing member from the plurality of separators to cause the plurality of contact-direction biasing members connected to the plurality of separators to cause the plurality of separators to contact the fixing member; a recording medium detector (34; 39) provided upstream from the nip in the recording medium conveyance direction to detect the recording medium; and a controller connected to the solenoid to control the solenoid according to a detection signal provided by the recording medium detector (34; 39), characterized in that the solenoid is turned on when a given first time period (ΔT1) elapses after the recording medium detector (34; 39) is turned on and the solenoid is turned off when a given second time period (ΔT2) elapses after the recording medium detector (34; 39) no longer detects the recording medium.