In this study, the quality changes of reasonably well-milled rice (RW-rice) under different storage methods were analyzed from several aspects such as antioxidant capacity and texture. Meanwhile, headspace-solid phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and transcriptomics techniques were used to analyze volatile compounds and metabolic pathways, respectively, in order to select the optimal storage method. The findings indicated that N₂-filled tinplate cans better maintained the storage quality and delayed the deterioration of RW-rice. In addition, 1-octen-3-ol, 2-pentylfuran and benzaldehyde were the major contributors to RW-rice aroma. The study also discovered that there was a significant correlation between antioxidant capacity, color, texture properties and key flavor compounds. Notably, storage in N₂-filled tinplate cans promoted phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis in RW-rice, and contributed to the synthesis of benzaldehyde, phenylethyl alcohol and phenol. In summary, this research provides fresh insights into the deterioration mechanism of RW-rice stored in N₂-filled tinplate cans, establishing a theoretical foundation for RW-rice storage.