A liquid discharge device performs recording by use of a liquid discharge head including discharge ports to discharge a liquid, pressure generation elements to generate energy to be used to discharge the liquid, and pressure chambers communicating with the discharge ports. The liquid discharge device includes a control unit to control a temperature of the liquid discharge head by applying heat with heating elements arranged in divided areas of a region of the liquid discharge head where the discharge ports are arranged. When there is recording data for the discharge port in a certain one of the divided areas, the control unit causes the heating element in the divided area to generate heat, and when there is no recording data for the discharge port in the certain divided area, the control unit keeps the heating element in the certain divided area from generating heat.