Summary This work evaluated the influence of phenolics from Black, Indica and Japonica rice bran (2.5–10%) on pasting and retrogradation properties of rice starch. The breakdown, setback, enthalpy values and retrogradation percentage of rice starch were decreased, and the pasting temperature was enhanced with the phenolics from three varieties of brown rice. X‐ray diffraction results suggested that new V‐type crystal at 13.1° was formed and relative crystallinity of rice starch was decreased. The results from fourier transform infrared spectroscopy exhibited that the 1047/1022 cm−1 values of rice starch were decreased with the content increase of phenolics from three varieties of brown rice. The phenolics from three varieties of brown rice resulted in loose surface structure of rice starch. This work may provide evidences for utilisation of phenolics from different varieties of brown rice to improve quality of rice products and inhibit retrogradation of rice starch. Inhibitory effects of phenolics from three varieties of brown rice on the retrogradation properties of rice starch.