Minecraft wiki entry for Combat, associated text: One of the scariest things about the creeper is its silence while approaching. However, if the player listens carefully, they might notice that the creeper has footstep sounds. Since the player also makes footstep sounds, it is hard to tell if a creeper is coming, or it is just the player's own footsteps. Luckily, player footstep sounds and creeper footstep sounds are not in the same category: the player's sounds are under the "Players" category, and the creeper's sounds are under the "Hostile Creatures" category. Therefore, by turning down the "Players" volume slider and increasing the "Hostile Creatures" volume, the footsteps of an approaching creeper can be much more recognizable. If the player is wearing headphones, they can even identify the direction of the footsteps; this is also possible with subtitles. The player can also sneak to prevent their character from making footsteps at all, so that when they hear footsteps, they can be certain that a creeper is nearby.