How to Make a Lead in Minecraft

Platform Information

The Lead is found on all platforms and versions.  

Be sure to check out our other guides on Minecraft such as… How to make a Fishing Rod

Finding a Lead in Creative Mode

To get a lead in creative mode, you simply need to look under the right menu. The menus have different names depending on the platform and the version. 

Check the table below to find out where paper can be found in creative mode. 

Making a Lead in Survival Mode

Required Materials

To make a lead you need two ingredients: string and a slimeball.

String can be obtained by killing spiders, or crafted from a spider web in the Bedrock and educational editions of the game.

If you are having trouble finding a spider, you should change the time to night as they are much  more common once the sun goes down. 

Once you have killed the spider it will drop the string, and occasionally a spider eye.

Alternatively, you can summon a spider by using a spawn egg.

Slimeballs can be obtained by killing slimes.

You can find slimes in the darker parts of a swampland biome, usually at night.

Slimes come in several different sizes. The bigger the slime, the more dangerous it is, and the more damage it will do to you.

Large slimes, break into medium slimes, and then small slimes. These then drop slimeballs when killed.

How to Craft a Lead

1. Open the crafting menu

Walk up to your crafting table and press the appropriate button to open the crafting menu.

2. Place the materials

When you open the crafting menu, you will see a 3×3 grid, a solitary box, and your inventory. 

To craft a lead, you will need to place the materials in the correct pattern into the crafting grid.

The top row should have a string in the left and middle boxes, the right box remains empty.. The second row should have a string in the left box, a slimeball in the middle box, and nothing in the right box.. The bottom row should have a string in the right hand box. 

If should look like this: 

SSX

SBX

XXS

S = string  B = slimeball  X = empty slot

3. Collect your lead

When the ingredients are placed in the correct pattern, two leads will appear in the box to the right of the grid. 

You need to pick up the lead and place it in your crafting inventory to complete the crafting process. If you don’t do this and simply exit the crafting menu, all the materials will drop to the ground around the crafting table. 

Item ID and Name

Give Command