An image reading apparatus includes: a reader that performs first reading of reading a document and second reading of reading a portion read through a first color in the first reading through a second color using an area sensor having a Bayer arrangement color filter; a generator that generates first image data represented by a plurality of adjacent pixels with a read value obtained through one Bayer arrangement in the first reading as one pixel, and generates second image data using, for each reading position, a value read through the first color in the first reading and a value read through the second color in the second reading; and a selector that selects one of the first image data or the second image data.