To　study　the　effect　of　freeze–thaw　temperature　change　rate　on　the　crack　propagation　characteristics　and　failure　precursor　in　freeze–thawed　sandstone,　uniaxial　compression　tests　were　simultaneous　monitoring　for　acoustic　emission　(AE)　and　microseismic　(MS)　signals.　The　results　demonstrate　that　increased　temperature　change　rates　resulted　in　accelerated　crack　propagation,　earlier　rock　failure,　and　lower　brittleness;　the　failure　mode　changes　from　tensile　to　shear-tensile　mixing;　the　proportion　of　tensile　cracks　decreases　from　90.9%　to　70.8%;　and　shear　cracks　increase　from　9.1%　to　29.2%.　A　comparative　analysis　of　AE　and　MS　provided　insights　into　the　evolution　of　crack　propagation　at　multiple　scales,　enabling　the　classification　of　crack　types　and　their　relationship　with　propagation　scale.　Based　on　the　precursor　characteristic　of　the　original　waveform　and　time-domain　curve　in　AE　and　MS　signals,　the　advantageous　areas　of　early-warming　indicators　for　rock　failure　were　identified.　Compared　with　traditional　indicators,　the　precursory　indicators　calculated　using　MS　b-values　and　AE　energy　rates　can　obtain　a　larger　early　warning　window,　with　maximum　windows　of　20.52%–29.29%　and　7.09%–13.73%　in　high　initial　damage　rocks　and　low　initial　damage　rocks,　respectively.　©　2024　John　Wiley　&　Sons　Ltd.