The invention discloses a method for preparing a precursor of a positive material of a nickel manganese cobalt multi-element lithium ion battery. The method comprises the following steps of: firstly, dissolving nickel, cobalt and manganese with deionized water, and preparing a multi-element metal salt solution with the total metal ionic molar concentration between 0.8 and 2.5mol/L, wherein the molar ratio of nickel to cobalt to manganese elements in the multi-element metal salt solution is (0-1):(0-1):(0-1); secondly, preparing alkali solution with concentration between 2 and 4mol/L; thirdly, reacting the salt solution with the alkali solution, wherein the temperature is controlled to be between 40 and 70 DEG C and the stirring speed is controlled to be between 100 and 600 revolutions/min, and the adding speed of salt and alkali solutions is controlled, so that the pH value of the reaction system is controlled to be between 8 and 11; and continuously stirring for 30 minutes to 2 hours after the reaction is completed, standing for 2 to 4 hours, filtering to obtain solid matters, and washing with deionized water until the content of Na<+> is lower than 0.03 percent, and drying to obtain the required precursor of the positive material of the nickel manganese cobalt multi-element lithium ion battery. According to the invention, an ammonia complexing agent is not used, and the method has the advantages of no ammonia or nitrogen pollution risk, good product sphericity, uniform granules, narrow granularity distribution and the like.