If you’ve spent any time playing FNAF, jumpscares are likely quite familiar to you. We’ve all ended up staring down the huge, mechanical maw of a monstrous animatronic after getting a bit too cocky with our door or power management, and the sound of those heavy footfalls and the piercing screech that accompanies them is enough to give you nightmares for weeks.
Well, whether you’re hoping to prepare yourself for a fright next time you’re taking the reins as a security guard at a seemingly harmless pizzeria, or you just want to get a closer look at those terrifying teeth, our guide to the Five Nights at Freddy’s jumpscares is the place to be. From the original FNAF to Ultimate Custom Night, we’ve listed all the jumpscares FNAF has to offer, and how you can go about avoiding them, so you can brave the belly of the beast armed with the knowledge of how these mechanical monsters work.
If you’re wondering when the latest game in the series will drop on Switch, check out our FNAF Security Breach release date guide. We’ve also got a list of creepy-cute FNAF plushies, toys, and Funkos, so you can literally embrace the fear you face in this guide.
Five Nights at Freddy’s jumpscares
FNAF jumpscares
There are a handful of ways to trigger a jumpscare in the original FNAF. The most common is when you run out of power, at which point the room goes dark, the doors open, and the HUD disappears. Then you just have to wait as Freddy’s steps draw closer, and he eventually pops up, giving you a spook.
Aside from that, the other animatronics jumpscare you if they’re wandering nearby and you leave the doors open when they’re close. They each take different paths.
Bonnie jumpscare
Bonnie appears at the left door, and is the most aggressive of the three main animatronics, so is more likely to come knocking. If you don’t shut the door in time, the lights in the hall flicker out, and it’s time to say bye to Bonnie.
Chica jumpscare
Chica appears at the right door. If you don’t close the door in time, the hall goes dark, and it’s time to say ciao to Chica.
Foxy jumpscare
Foxy remains in Pirate cove until triggered into an attack by you watching the cameras too little, at which point he sprints down the West Hall towards the office. At this point, you’ve only got a few seconds to close the door. If you close the door in time, he simply knocks four times before giving up. If not – game over.
Freddy jumpscare
That’s right, Freddy still attacks you even if you don’t run out of power. Later in the game, he starts to advance towards you, always remaining in the dark. He doesn’t back off in the same way the other animatronics do, so if you don’t keep him at bay, you end up getting chomped.
Golden Freddy jumpscare
A secret fifth enemy in the game, there’s a chance that Golden Freddy appears, usually on night one or night three. If you look at the poster in the West Hall Corner (CAM 2B) and it changes from a picture of Freddy to a picture of Golden Freddy, then exit the monitor without switching cameras, Golden Freddy appears sitting in front of you, with the words ‘It’s me’ flashing over him.
FNAF 2 jumpscares
Unlike the first game, FNAF 2 doesn’t feature a power system to protect you from animatronics. Instead, you need to rely on the Freddy Fazbear Head mask, the flashlight, and your handy dandy music box. On the plus side, getting chomped sometimes gives you the chance to play an Atari-style minigame with hints about the in-game lore, so that sweetens the deal a bit. It still kind of sucks getting snacked on by an animatronic, though – so here are all the FNAF 2 jumpscares and what triggers them.
Standard Animatronic jumpscares
Most of the FNAF 2 animatronics (aside from those listed separately below) follow the same rules. They attack you if they enter the office and you don’t put on the Freddy Head quickly, or if you drop it too soon. The attack isn’t always immediate, but putting the Freddy Head back on during this period doesn’t prevent your inevitable demise, so be careful.
Mangle jumpscare
While Mangle behaves quite similar to the other animatronics, it also has its own distinctive traits. Looking at Mangle in the monitor produces a static radio sound, which you can also hear when it’s in the right air vent blind spot. If you fail to put your Freddy Head on when you hear this, Mangle enters the office and hangs from the ceiling for the rest of the night, and randomly attacks you at some point after you use the monitor. You can use the monitor to wind up the music box to keep Mangle at bay, but there’s still a chance Mangle will attack when you lower it.
Withered Foxy jumpscare
When this fox comes a-knocking, there’s no point resorting to your trusty Freddy Head, as he can see right through it. Withered Foxy attacks you regardless, and the only way to deter him is by stunning him with the flashlight while he lurks in the hallway. His aversion to bright lights makes him back off at this point, but without the protection of the Freddy Head, it’s easy to end up in this beastie’s gnashing maw – especially with the help of his little pal, Balloon Boy.
Balloon Boy jumpscare
BB is the only animatronic that doesn’t attack you. Instead, he disables both your flashlight and air vent lights, unleashing creepy giggles that are speculated to lure other animatronics towards you. Once BB enters the office, you can’t make him leave, and your only hope is to be smart with your Freddy Head, and hope that Withered Foxy doesn’t come around.
The Puppet jumpscare
You need to keep the Music Box in Prize Corner (CAM 11) wound and playing at all times – if the music stops, the Puppet begins to emerge from the Prize Corner present box. If it manages to crawl all the way out, the music box starts playing ‘Pop! Goes the Weasel’, and the puppet heads to the office. At this point, you’re doomed to inevitable puppet-inflicted death, as nothing can stop it unless the night ends before it reaches you.
Golden Freddy jumpscare
Golden Freddy is an odd one, as we’re unsure what exactly triggers his attack – though the community seems to believe he’s more likely to appear if you take too long winding the music box, especially on night six. If Golden Freddy’s full body is in the office and you don’t put the Freddy Head on in time, he attacks you in the same way a normal animatronic would. However, if Golden Freddy’s head is floating in the hall, he follows different rules. At this point, you have to refrain from using the flashlight in that hallway until he disappears, as keeping the light on him triggers his jumpscare.
FNAF 3 jumpscares
FNAF 3 differs from the previous games, in that the only animatronic capable of causing a game over jumpscare is Springtrap. The jumpscares from the other antagonists simply impede your progress and distract you from the real threat.
Springtrap jumpscare
As the only true animatronic wandering this version of Fazbear’s Fright, Springtrap’s jumpscares are the only ones that will kill you. He usually enters the office from the left door, and attacks you when the maintenance panel is lowered. If he enters the office when your monitor is pulled up or if he enters the office via the right vent, he attacks from the right.
Phantom Freddy jumpscare
Phantom Freddy occasionally appears outside the office window, limping around. If you leave the monitor or maintenance panel down for too long when he’s out there, he drops out of sight. After a brief, tense pause, he jumpscares you, triggering a ventilation error.
Phantom BB jumpscare
Phantom randomly appears on one of the many cameras, his creepy little face taking up the whole screen. If you don’t switch the camera or close the monitor fast enough when he appears, he teleports to the office and stares at you, then launches at you with his mouth open.
Phantom Chica jumpscare
Sometimes, Phantom Chica appears on CAM 07. Once you’ve spotted her and lowered your monitor, she appears at the left side of the office and starts approaching you. If you pan your camera to the left at this point, it triggers her jumpscare.
Phantom Foxy jumpscare
Phantom Foxy occasionally appears to the left side of the office, at which point it’s dangerous for you to check the maintenance panel. To see him, you need to pull up the camera system and turn towards the left side of the office, triggering his jumpscare.
Phantom Mangle jumpscare
CAM 04 occasionally shows Phantom Mangle hanging from the ceiling. If you close the monitor without changing to another camera after spotting it, Mangle appears outside the office window and makes a loud, radio static sound, causing an audio system error.
Phantom Puppet jumpscare
You can occasionally see Phantom Puppet standing in the hall on CAM 08. Like Phantom Mangle, if you don’t switch cameras before lowering the monitor, Phantom Puppet appears in the office, popping up in front of you. During its stay, you can’t access the monitor or the maintenance panel, rendering you vulnerable to Springtrap and other animatronics.
FNAF 4 jumpscares
In FNAF 4, you only have a flashlight and doors to protect you. Every jumpscare in this game triggers a game over, so be careful!
Nightmare Freddy jumpscare
While Nightmare Freddy doesn’t actually appear in his full form outside of his jumpscare, if you don’t keep an eye on the Miniature Freddies, he either attacks you directly from the bedroom, or lunges at you the next time you look at the bed.
Nightmare Bonnie and Nightmare Chica jumpscares
Also known as Jack-O-Bonnie and Jack-O-Chica, these two are very active beasties. Bonnie always approaches from the right hall, while Chica approaches from the right. It’s super important that you listen out for footsteps, and make sure you close the door when they appear. If you fail to close the door or open it too soon, you get a jumpscare from either their respective door or within the bedroom itself.
Nightmare Foxy and Nightmare Mangle jumpscares
At the start of the night, Nightmare Foxy appears in the hall, later moving to the closet. After he moves, you need to check for him quite often, as he moves quicker than other animatronics. His main jumpscare is pretty standard, coming from the bedroom. In his final form, shining a light on Nightmare Foxy causes him to release a vicious snarl, but this doesn’t result in a game over.
Nightmare Fredbear jumpscares
Nightmare Fredbear actually adopts the roles of all four main animatronics. Here are the different ways he can jumpscare you:
Hallway: he appears quite often in the hallway, at which point you must immediately close the door to avoid a jumpscare.
Closet/bed: if you hear Nightmare Fredbear laugh, it means he’s left the hallways and is either in the closet or on the bed. If he’s in the closet, you have to immediately slam the closet door shut. If he’s on the bed, you need to shine your light on him.
Plushtrap and Nightmare BB jumpscares
During the Fun with Plushtrap and Fun with Balloon Boy minigames, you need to use your flashlight to ward off Plushtrap or Nightmare BB. If you use the flashlight after they reach you, you trigger a jumpscare and end the minigame – though this does not result in a game over.
FNAF: Sister Location jumpscares
All jumpscares in Sister Location result in a game over, sending you back to the menu. There are lots of different jumpscares in this title. Below, we’ve listed them all, along with how to avoid them.
Bibybab jumpscares
While hiding under the desk on night two, you need to prevent Bibybab from opening the doors. If you fail, Bibybab gives you a jumpscare.
Ballora jumpscares
Keep your lips zipped and stay quiet in the Ballora Gallery, or you end up facing a Ballora jumpscare.
Funtime Freddy jumpscares
On night two, if you don’t turn on the mascot sound to make Funtime Freddy return to his stage in the breaker room, Funtime Freddy gets grumpy and it’s game over.
Bon-Bon jumpscares
When you remove Funtime Freddy’s power module on night three, Bon-Bon starts wandering around his puppeteer’s deactivated body. Tap on him in time, or he pops out and scares you to death.
Funtime Foxy jumpscares
In the Funtime Auditorium, if you don’t turn the beacon on for too long, Funtime Foxy pops up and jumpscares you. However, Funtime Foxy also jumpscares you at the end of night three – this doesn’t result in a game over, instead leading into night four.
Minireena jumpscares
Minireena jumpscares you on night four if you don’t keep the springlocks wound up, or if you let one of the Minireenas climb all the way to the top of the costume.
Ennard jumpscares
Ennard can jumpscare you either in his maskless or masked form.
Maskless Ennard jumpscares
If you fail to input Circus Baby’s code in time on night five, a maskless version of Ennard pops out to jumpscare you. Additionally, not following Baby’s instructions in the Funtime Auditorium, or trying to open the Private Room without the access card also triggers him into jump scaring you.
Masked Ennard jumpscares
If you don’t manage to keep Ennard out of the room, you get a masked Ennard jumpscare.
Ultimate Custom Night jumpscares
In Custom Night mode, triggering a jumpscare sends you back to the Custom Night selection screen. Multiple animatronics can jumpscare you throughout this mode.
- Ballora – if you don’t shut the doors on her when she goes down the hallway, or if you run out of power, Ballora jumpscares you
- Funtime Freddy and Bon-Bon – Bon-Bon jumpscares you under Freddy’s command if you don’t shut the door on him when he goes down the hallway
- Funtime Foxy – if you don’t shut the door when he leaves the stage, Funtime Foxy gives you a fright
- Bibybab – this little monster jumpscares you if you don’t shut the vent on her when she’s close to exiting it
- Yenndo – Yenndo jumpscares you if you don’t look back at the monitor to scare him off
- Bonnet – when Bonnett’s in the office, she jumpscares you if you don’t click her nose in time
There are several nonlethal animatronics that give you jumpscares without triggering an end game, similar to the phantoms in FNAF 3. Instead of munching you up, they just give you a scare and cause visual or auditory disturbances to disorient you. They are:
- Phantom Freddy
- Bonnie
- Phantom BB
- Phantom Mangle
- Helpy
- Trash and the Gang
There are a few other animatronics who don’t actually jumpscare you at all, but can pose a threat through auditory and visual disturbances. These are:
- Phone Guy
- El Chip
- Lolbit
- Funtime Chica
- Old Man Consequences
- Minireena
- Dee Dee
- BB
- JJ
Pizzeria Simulator jumpscares
Pizzeria Simulator follows rules similar to those of previous games – if you let an animatronic reach the office, you get a jumpscare and game over screen. However, most of these death screens feature some kind of dialogue relevant to the game lore, which makes the frights a little more worthwhile.
The following Pizzeria Simulator animatronics can either jumpscare you if you fail to scare them off during the salvage minigames, or in the office if you don’t manage to keep them out.
- Molten Freddy
- Scraptrap
- Scrap Baby
- Lefty
Outside of jumpscares, you can actually lose a shift in Pizzeria Simulator without ever being attacked by an animatronic through overheating. If you let the temperature reach 120 degrees fahrenheit, you pass out, and find yourself back at the main menu screen.
Those are all the Five Nights at Freddy’s jumpscares in the main-line games available on Switch and mobile, and how to avoid them. If you’re looking for even more spooks, check out our list of the best mobile horror games or the best Switch horror games. We’ve also got a list of the best Disney games if you need a bit of a palette cleanser.