In this research paper, a new method is developed that can be used as a precursor of violent rock failure. It is based on measuring the characteristics of rock failure using infrared radiation (IR) under uniaxial cyclic loading and unloading. The loading–unloading response ratio (LURR) is determined based on IR indexes such as average infrared radiation temperature (AIRT) and infrared radiation temperature rate (IRTR). The results show that the LURR based on AIRT revealed an overall rising trend and mutation that occurred in the last cycle, which can be used as a precursor of the imminent rock failure. By contrast, the LURR based on IRTR has a noticeable ‘mutation‐rapid decrease’ in the middle and later periods of cyclic loading and unloading, which can also be considered as an early precursor of rock failure. Combined with the precursors of the imminent rock failure, the categorized warning of rock failure is recognized.