Cambodia, China (mainland), India, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, North Korea (B), Russia (Asian), South Korea, Taiwan (China), Thailand, Vietnam.
Vagrant to Singapore.
Breeds south-eastern Russia (Amurland, Ussuriland), extreme north-eastern China (eastern Manchuria) and northern Korea. Non-breeding south-eastern Asia (southern Myanmar east to Cambodia and southern Vietnam, south to southern Thailand), occasionally Hainan I.
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010).
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus tenellipes) [XC639962]
by Jelle Scharringa from Khao Yai National Park, Trail 6, Thailand (call)
Pale-legged Leaf Warbler (Phylloscopus tenellipes) [XC114564]
by Frank Lambert from Maoershan (nr Forest Research Station), Heilongjiang Province, China (song)
Subspecies
No subspecies.
Has been considered conspecific with Sakhalin Leaf-Warbler (Phylloscopus borealoides), but differs vocally. Has in the past been considered conspecific with Ijima's Leaf-Warbler (Phylloscopus ijimae).