Aluminum killed low-carbon steel sheets were cold rolled at different reduction ratios and annealed using different temperatures and holding time.The Vickers hardness was exam-ined.The results show that when cold rolling reduction ratios increase from 40% to 81%, recrystallization temperatures decrease from 602°C to 572°C during 4 h isochronal annea-ling, as well recrystallization holding time decreases from 1 1 7 min to 5 min during isother-mal annealing at 610°C.All recrystallization temperatures and holding time can be calculat-ed using the annealing experiment results.Microstructure was examined through electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD).The results show that as rolling direction preferentially grows, equiaxed grains grow into cake-type during recrystallization.Cake-type grains are more beneficial to obtaining ideal <111>//ND (normal direcrtion) orientation texture.{111} orientation grains nucleate and grow up preferentially.Deformation grains of{111}<110>orientations grow into new recrystallization grains of{111}<123> and{111}<112>during re-crystallization.Texture formation can be explained by directional nucleation.