To provide an optical scanning device in which an image misalignment corresponding to a scanning angle difference for each scanning is reduced, a control method of the optical scanning device, and an image forming apparatus using the optical scanning device.

The optical scanning device includes: a light deflection means which repeatedly deflects and scans a light flux emitted from a light source on a scan surface; an imaging optical element which forms an image in a vicinity of the scan surface with the light flux; a variable focus optical element which is arranged in an optical path from the light source to the light deflection part; and a focal point control device which changes a focal distance of the variable focus optical element in executing each of deflection scans, and corrects an image misalignment on the scan surface due to an optical path difference by scan angle within a prescribed range.