Minecraft Allay mobs explained and where to find them

Minecraft Allay
(Image credit: Microsoft)

The Minecraft Allay is a relatively new mob that serves as a kind of caddy, picking up loose items and presenting them to its owner, a useful feature for those who are prone to leaving items behind or just want to make sure the area is properly combed along the way. A rather endearing ally, the Allay has already marked itself out as a fan favorite in Minecraft - because among other things, it'll dance when you play it music. Cute, right? We'll cover how to find, breed and use the Allays in Minecraft below, so you can have some friendly blue minions bobbing behind you.

How to find the Minecraft Allay mobs and spawns

Minecraft Allay

(Image credit: Microsoft)

The Minecraft Allay mobs are found in two locations since their introduction in the Minecraft The Wild Update: in dark oak cages around Pillager Outposts, and in the jail cells found in Woodland Mansions (such as the one seen above). They appear in groups of 1-3. though you can find multiple groups in one location - i.e., multiple jail cells and oak cages in the same area, each with a freshly baked batch of Allays inside. They tend to glow, so should be very easy to notice during nighttime hours (though they don't light up the surroundings like a torch).

Allays won't be aggressive and can be approached safely. Until properly interacted with, they will generally float about in no particular direction and pay the player no mind.

Minecraft Allay uses

Minecraft Allay

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Allays in Minecraft are strange item collectors/carriers, and their behaviour is as follows:

  • When interacted with, the player gives the Allay whatever they're holding. The Allay then floats about nearby the player, looking for other, dropped versions of that item and presenting them to the player when found.
  • If the player interacts with an Allay empty-handed, they take back the item that was given originally, and the Allay goes back to passive indifference.
  • Allays do not attack and their owners cannot harm them. If another player or entity hurts them (assuming they aren't killed), the Allay flies about in a panic for a short time. If killed, they drop everything they're holding.
  • Note blocks, when played, cause nearby Allays to come over and dance. 
  • Leads and Name Tags can be used on Allays. 

The Minecraft Allay can pick up non-stackable items as well, and it has been suggested you may be able to use this Mob for sorting if you build an appropriate setup. The Allay drops off the items it has gathered once it's in range of a note block, so you can use one of those to determine where your collection should be deposited.

How to breed and duplicate Allays

Minecraft Allay

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Breeding and/or duplicating Allay requires Minecraft Amethyst Shards, gathered by breaking Amethyst Clusters. If you give an Amethyst Shard to an Allay while it's dancing, it will make a noise, produce some hearts, and duplicate into a second Allay, splitting like an amoeba. You then have to wait five minutes before either of them can be duplicated again.

Iain Wilson
Guides Editor

Iain originally joined Future in 2012 to write guides for CVG, PSM3, and Xbox World, before moving on to join GamesRadar in 2013 as Guides Editor. His words have also appeared in OPM, OXM, PC Gamer, GamesMaster, and SFX. He is better known to many as ‘Mr Trophy’, due to his slightly unhealthy obsession with amassing intangible PlayStation silverware, and he now has over 500 Platinum pots weighing down the shelves of his virtual award cabinet. He does not care for Xbox Achievements.

With contributions from