Abstract: For investigating the aging effect of steaming to YiXian dark tea, the flavor quality and metabolite profiles of YiXian dark tea after steaming treatments were analyzed by sensory evaluation, headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HP-SPME-GCMS), amino acid analyzer and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that the aroma and taste flavor of YiXian dark teas were enhanced by the steaming. In particular, YiXian dark tea after the third steaming obtains the pleasant flavor compared to other dark tea samples. The total volatiles concentration decreased in the first two times of steaming but increased in the third (9113.62 μg/kg) and forth (10222.82 μg/kg) times of steaming. The nonanal, trans-2-octenal and dihydrolinalool with a flowery and sweet odor showed an increasing tendency during steaming, whereas linalool, geraniol and dimethylsulfide showed a decrease in concentrations（P<0.05）. The total catechins concentration and concentrations of episturcture catechins such as EGC and EGCG decreased with steaming（P<0.05）. In contrast, concentrations of gallic acid and nonepistructure catechin C and GCG increased after steaming, especially theanine（P<0.05）, of which content increased by 13.1%. Nonanal, decanal, dimethyl sulfide, 1-octen-3-one, trans-2-octenal, hexanal, GC, EGCG, EGC, and theanine were the key differential metabolites between dark tea samples according to orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis, variable important for the projection, odor active value, and dose-over-threshold factors. This study give a insight into improving the rapid aging of YiXian dark tea.