PURPOSE: To provide a printing apparatus to which a cassette can be easily detached or attached.

CONSTITUTION: This printing apparatus is equipped with a cassette housing recess 13 for housing a cassette 7 holding an image transferring ribbon 12 therein, a driving member for driving the wind-up spool 23 of the cassette 7 and a printing mechanism having a printing head 16 and a platen 8, both of which cooperate with each other. When the cassette 7 locates in the cassette housing recess, the printing head and the platen are arranged so as to extend a tape between the printing head and the platen. The printing head 16 is movable between the its operative position and its inoperative position. In response to the movement of the printing head from its operative position to its inoperative position, a driving means automatically rotates the driving member. Thus, the wind-p stool 23 of the cassette 7 inserted in the printing apparatus rotates, resulting a tensing the tape so as to remove the looping or sagging of the tape. Accordingly, the insertion or removal of the cassette becomes easy.