How to Make a Lead in Minecraft

Guide Java Bedrock

Quick answer: Craft 2 leads from 5 string in a crafting table: top row string, string, empty; middle row string, string, empty; bottom row string, empty, empty. No slimeball is needed in the current recipe. Use a lead on a leashable mob, then use a fence while sneaking to tie it there.

What you need

5 string
Crafting table
A fence (to tie the mob)

Step by step

Gather 5 string for each craft, which gives 2 leads.
In a crafting table, place string in the top-left, top-middle, middle-left, center and bottom-left slots. Leave the other four slots empty. This uses 5 string and produces 2 leads.
Use a lead on a leashable mob to leash it. Each leashed mob needs its own lead. Hostile mobs usually cannot be leashed, and wolves cannot be leashed once angry.
While holding leashed mobs, use a fence while sneaking to attach them to a visible knot. A mob tied to a fence tends to stay within 5 blocks of the post.
A lead can stretch a maximum of 12 blocks (16 if the mob is a happy ghast). Past that, or if the mob moves quickly away, the lead breaks and drops as an item.
Remove a lead by using it on the mob again, hitting the knot, or using shears. The lead drops as an item (not in Creative on Java).
Without string, you can recover leads detached from a wandering trader's llamas, or find them in woodland mansion and ancient city chests. Protect the mobs you are leading and pick up dropped leads before leaving.

Java vs Bedrock

Both editions use 5 string to craft 2 leads. In Bedrock, a lead can sometimes break when the chunk containing a leashed mob unloads. Check that your mobs are still attached after travel. In Java Creative mode, removing a lead does not drop it as an item.

Versions: Describes the current Java and Bedrock releases. See the edition note above for differences.

Frequently asked questions

How do you make a lead?

Use a crafting table: put string in the top-left, top-middle, middle-left, center and bottom-left slots, leaving all other slots empty. The 5 string produce 2 leads.

Do you still need a slimeball?

No. The current recipe uses 5 string and produces 2 leads. The older recipe used 4 string and 1 slimeball, so tutorials for older versions may show different ingredients.

Why did my lead break?

A lead stretches at most 12 blocks (16 for a happy ghast) and breaks if the mob cannot follow or moves quickly away. It also breaks when hit by a projectile or when the fence post is removed or pushed.

Does a lead break if the mob dies?

No. A lead does not break if the attached animal dies.