In order to reveal the spatiotemporal evolution regularities of the internal microcracks initiation, development and coalescence in rock under cycling loading, using sandstone as the research object, the acoustic emission tests of sandstone in uniaxial cyclic loading and unloading were carried out. The results show that: the propagation velocity of sound wave in rock can be obtained by the wave velocity test in different directions, which can provide reasonable velocity parameters for acoustic emission location; the space position of fracture plane can be accurately located by reasonably arranging the position of the sensor; the number of acoustic emission events and energy present a stepwise increase during the loading and unloading process, indicating that acoustic emission has memory effect; through the comparison between the space location of acoustic emission events and position of rupture surface in the rock sample, two positions are basically the same and the acoustic emission can effectively obtain the whole process of rock crack propagation. The results can provide important technical support for the rock mass stability analysis, which has an important value of engineering application.