A printing apparatus comprising: a transport section which has a support surface adapted to support a recording medium with a sheet form, and support and transport the recording medium on the support surface; a printing section which is disposed facing the support surface via a gap, and has a nozzle adapted to execute printing on the recording medium which is transported by the transport section; wherein printing is performed by discharging ink from the nozzle; a detecting section which is provided further on the upstream side in the transport direction of the recording medium than the nozzle, and is adapted to detect an upper surface position of the recording medium; an adjustment section adapted to adjust a separation distance between the support surface and the nozzle; and a control section adapted to control the operation of the transport section, the printing section, the detecting section, and the adjustment section, wherein the control section is adapted to select between a first mode in which printing is performed and a second mode in which the printing is stopped, wherein in the first mode the control section is adapted to adjust the separation distance by operating the adjustment section based on a detection result of the detecting section, and characterized in that in the second mode the control section is adapted to adjust the separation distance by operating the adjustment section based on a detection result of the detecting section, and in the first mode, the control section is adapted to adjust the timing at which the ink is discharged according to the extent of the separation distance. a transport section which has a support surface adapted to support a recording medium with a sheet form, and support and transport the recording medium on the support surface; a printing section which is disposed facing the support surface via a gap, and has a nozzle adapted to execute printing on the recording medium which is transported by the transport section; wherein printing is performed by discharging ink from the nozzle; a detecting section which is provided further on the upstream side in the transport direction of the recording medium than the nozzle, and is adapted to detect an upper surface position of the recording medium; an adjustment section adapted to adjust a separation distance between the support surface and the nozzle; and a control section adapted to control the operation of the transport section, the printing section, the detecting section, and the adjustment section, wherein the control section is adapted to select between a first mode in which printing is performed and a second mode in which the printing is stopped, wherein in the first mode the control section is adapted to adjust the separation distance by operating the adjustment section based on a detection result of the detecting section, and characterized in that in the second mode the control section is adapted to adjust the separation distance by operating the adjustment section based on a detection result of the detecting section, and in the first mode, the control section is adapted to adjust the timing at which the ink is discharged according to the extent of the separation distance.