How to find and use allays in Minecraft (2023)

The allay, the winner of Minecraft Live 2021's Mob Vote, was introduced to the title in the 1.19 update. Since then, it has been one of the more unusual mobs in the game when it comes to its behavior.

Allays are passive mobs that are completely averse to violence and instead wish to help others. They can work with players in a limited capacity and are inextricably drawn to the sound of note blocks, which causes them to drop anything they're carrying. These creatures can also be bred but not tamed.

But how can Minecraft players find allays and use them? Since they can't be tamed, fans will need to release these creatures from captivity first.

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Finding, freeing, and using allays in Minecraft (2023)

Pillagers are known to capture allays in their generated structures (Image via Mojang)

Allays can spawn in two different generated structures in Minecraft: pillager outposts and woodland mansions. Within these structures, allays are kept prisoner by pillagers for an unknown reason.

One to three allays can spawn in each cage in either generated structure. If players can release them by breaking or opening the cages, the allays can roam the environment and assist them. However, since they can't be tamed, players will need to relocate these mobs using other methods.

Here's how you can relocate and use allays in Minecraft:

1. After releasing allays from their cages, they will fly around relatively aimlessly. To get an allay to follow you in Minecraft, provide it with an item or block or attach it to a lead. If you give the allay and item or block, it will follow you until you remove the item from its hands. Be sure to stay within 64 blocks of the allay. Otherwise, it may wander off on its own. However, by using the lead, you can keep the allay close by without needing to give it an item.
2. Once you have your allay(s) in a desired location, there are a few things you can do with them as of Minecraft 1.19. By giving them an item or block, the allay will follow you and collect any items that match the one in its hands. After collecting as much as it can, the allay will return to you and drops its items so you can pick them up.
3. If you want to stop an allay from doing whatever it's doing immediately, activate a note block within 16 blocks of its location. It will drop anything it's holding before heading to the note block and spending 30 seconds close to it. Furthermore, if you activate a jukebox near an allay, it will dance until the jukebox stops playing or the allay is too far away from the jukebox.
4. Much like players, if you give an allay a Totem of Undying and it takes fatal damage, it will expend the totem to revive itself.
5. Like most mobs, you can rename an allay by using a name tag on it. Name tags and leads will be used on allays instead of placing the item in their hands like other items and blocks.
6. As an allay is dancing, you can give it an amethyst shard. It will duplicate itself after making a sound and creating a heart effect. Unlike many other mobs, allays don't breed in a conventional way, as they don't need a partner and don't enter Love Mode. A dance and an amethyst shard are all they need.

While these are the defined uses for allays in Minecraft right now, they may receive additional features as the game is updated. These friendly and passive creatures may be made even more helpful than before, or they may learn new interactions with the environment around them.