Multileaders (MLEADER) are annotation objects that combine an arrowhead, a leader line, a landing, and content (text or block). They're the professional way to add callouts and notes in AutoCAD.
Key Commands
| Command | What it Does |
|---|---|
MLEADER | Create a new multileader |
MLEADERSTYLE | Create or modify multileader styles |
MLEADERADD | Add additional leader lines to an existing multileader |
MLEADERREMOVE | Remove a leader line from a multileader |
MLEADERALIGN | Align multiple multileaders along a line |
MLEADERCOLLECT | Collect multiple multileaders with blocks into a single leader |
AIMLEADEREDITADD | Add leader to existing multileader (older alias) |
Creating a Multileader (Step-by-Step)
| Step | Action | Prompt / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Type MLEADER | Or: Home tab → Annotation panel → Multileader |
| 2 | Specify arrowhead location | Click on the object you want to annotate |
| 3 | Specify leader landing location | Move the cursor away and click to set the landing point |
| 4 | Enter text | Type your note in the in-place text editor. Click outside to finish. |
Multileader Style (MLEADERSTYLE)
Multileader styles control the appearance of all leaders. Create a style per project or standard.
| Property Group | Key Settings |
|---|---|
| Leader Format | Type (straight/spline), Color, Linetype, Lineweight, Symbol (arrowhead type), Size |
| Leader Structure | Maximum leader points, landing distance, Scale, Annotative (yes/no) |
| Content | Type (MTEXT or Block), Text style, Text height, Text color, Attachment (left/right side), Gap |
Content Types
| Content Type | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| MTEXT | Multi-line text box with formatting | Notes, callout text, general annotation |
| Block | A block (symbol) appears at the landing. Can include attribute fields. | Ballooning, part numbers, keynotes using a circle/hexagon block |
| None | Leader line only — no content at landing | Pointing to features without text (rarely used) |
MLEADERALIGN — Aligning Leaders
When you have multiple multileaders in a row, MLEADERALIGN snaps all their landing lines to a common alignment line.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Type MLEADERALIGN |
| 2 | Select the multileaders to align (box select or click individually) |
| 3 | Press Enter to finish selection |
| 4 | Click one leader to use as the alignment reference |
| 5 | All other leaders align their landings to match |
MLEADERCOLLECT — Grouping Block Leaders
MLEADERCOLLECT only works on multileaders with Block content type. It groups multiple leaders into a single combined leader with all the block values listed together.
Adding and Removing Leader Lines
| Task | How To |
|---|---|
| Add a leader to existing multileader | Select the multileader → right-click → "Add Leader". Or use MLEADERADD. |
| Remove a leader from multileader | Select the multileader → right-click → "Remove Leader". Or use MLEADERREMOVE. |
Annotative Multileaders
When Annotative is enabled in the multileader style, the leader automatically scales to match each viewport's annotation scale. Best practice for drawings with multiple viewports at different scales.
Landing Line Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Automatically include landing | Adds a short horizontal line between the arrow end and the text/block |
| Set landing distance | Controls the length of the horizontal landing line (in drawing units) |
| Dog leg | Another name for the horizontal landing line in AutoCAD UI |
Editing Multileaders
| Task | Method |
|---|---|
| Edit text content | Double-click on the multileader text |
| Move arrowhead | Select leader → drag arrowhead grip |
| Move text/block | Select leader → drag content grip |
| Change style | Select leader → Properties palette → change style |
| Change layer | Select → Properties palette or layer dropdown |