An image forming apparatus comprising: an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet using a developing material; an image reading unit configured to read an image on a sheet; a communication device configured to communicate with a second device and including a processor configured to control communication with the second device; and a controller configured to control the image forming apparatus to operate in a first power saving state, a second power saving state, and a normal state, wherein in the first power saving state, the image forming unit, the image reading unit and the controller are not activated, and the communication device is activated, in the second power saving state, at least one of the image forming unit and the image reading unit are not activated, and the communication device and the controller are activated, and in the normal state, the image forming unit, the image reading unit, the communication device, and the controller are activated, wherein when the image forming apparatus is in the second power saving state and instruction data is received by the communication device that includes an instruction to perform sequential image formation, the controller is configured to shift the image forming apparatus from the second power saving state to the normal state, the sequential image formation being image formation to be executed immediately, characterized in that when the image forming apparatus is in the second power saving state and instruction data is received by the communication device that includes an instruction to execute occasional image formation, the controller is configured to keep the image forming apparatus in the second power saving state without shifting to the normal state, the occasional image formation being image formation that is not scheduled to be executed immediately upon receipt of the job. an image forming unit configured to form an image on a sheet using a developing material; an image reading unit configured to read an image on a sheet; a communication device configured to communicate with a second device and including a processor configured to control communication with the second device; and a controller configured to control the image forming apparatus to operate in a first power saving state, a second power saving state, and a normal state, wherein in the first power saving state, the image forming unit, the image reading unit and the controller are not activated, and the communication device is activated, in the second power saving state, at least one of the image forming unit and the image reading unit are not activated, and the communication device and the controller are activated, and in the normal state, the image forming unit, the image reading unit, the communication device, and the controller are activated, when the image forming apparatus is in the second power saving state and instruction data is received by the communication device that includes an instruction to perform sequential image formation, the controller is configured to shift the image forming apparatus from the second power saving state to the normal state, the sequential image formation being image formation to be executed immediately, characterized in that when the image forming apparatus is in the second power saving state and instruction data is received by the communication device that includes an instruction to execute occasional image formation, the controller is configured to keep the image forming apparatus in the second power saving state without shifting to the normal state, the occasional image formation being image formation that is not scheduled to be executed immediately upon receipt of the job. <EOS>