An image recording apparatus includes a recording head, a recording-position information obtaining unit configured to obtain recording position information of a plurality of recording elements a plurality of times at an interval of an arbitrary period, a recording-position chronological change information calculating unit configured to calculate chronological change information of the recording position for each recording element, a medium type specifying unit configured to specify a type of a medium using the chronological change information of the recording position for each recording element, and a parameter setting unit configured to automatically set at least either one of a recording parameter and an abnormality detection parameter in correspondence with the specified type of medium.