You can delete your Pinterest account in a few minutes, but the process differs depending on whether you want to deactivate it temporarily or remove it completely

Pinterest offers two separate paths: deactivation, which hides your account for 30 days and lets you reactivate it if you change your mind, and deletion, which permanently removes your account, pins, and boards after 30 days. Most people who want out should choose deletion. Deactivation is useful only if you think you might return within a month.

The steps are straightforward and take about two minutes. You'll need to be logged into your Pinterest account on a computer or phone, and you should know which email address is attached to it. Pinterest will send a confirmation email to that address before anything is actually deleted.

Key Takeaways

  • Permanent deletion takes 30 days to complete after you request it, during which you can cancel the deletion if you log back in.
  • Deactivation hides your account when ready but keeps it recoverable for 30 days; deletion removes it permanently after the waiting period.
  • You should read your data before deleting if you want to keep copies of your pins or boards.
  • Pinterest will email you a confirmation link — you must click it to start the deletion process.

How to permanently delete your account on desktop

Log into Pinterest on a web browser. Click your profile icon in the top right corner and select Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Deactivate account. You'll see two options: "Deactivate" and "Delete account". Choose Delete account.

Pinterest will ask you to confirm your password. Enter it and click Delete. You'll see a message saying your account will be permanently deleted in 30 days. Check the email address associated with your Pinterest account — you must open the confirmation email from Pinterest and click the link inside it to finalize the deletion request. If you don't click that link within a certain time, the deletion request expires and your account stays active.

Once you've clicked the confirmation link, your account is scheduled for deletion. You can still log back in during the 30-day waiting period and cancel the deletion by going to Settings and choosing Reactivate account. After 30 days, the account and everything in it — your pins, boards, followers, and saved items — are gone permanently.

How to permanently delete your account on mobile

Open the Pinterest app or go to Pinterest.com in your phone's browser. Tap your profile icon at the bottom right. Tap the gear icon to open Settings. Scroll to the very bottom and tap Deactivate account. Select Delete account instead of Deactivate.

Enter your password when prompted and tap Delete. Pinterest will show a confirmation message. Go to your email inbox and look for a message from Pinterest asking you to confirm the deletion. Tap the link in that email. Your account is now scheduled for permanent deletion in 30 days.

What happens to your data during the 30-day waiting period

During the 30 days after you request deletion, your profile is hidden from other users. People cannot find your account, see your pins, or access your boards. However, you can still log in. If you log in and change your mind, go back to Settings and click Reactivate account to cancel the deletion and restore everything.

If you do nothing for 30 days, Pinterest permanently deletes your account. Your pins, boards, comments, and profile information are removed from Pinterest's servers. Other people's boards that contained your pins will show a broken link where your pin used to be.

read your data before deleting

If you want to keep copies of your pins or boards, read your data first. Go to Settings and look for read your data (the exact location varies by account type, but it's always in Settings). Click it and Pinterest will prepare a file containing your pins, boards, and profile information. This usually takes a few hours. You'll receive an email with a read link.

The downloaded file is a compressed folder containing your data in a format you can open on your computer. This is useful if you want to remember what you saved or if you plan to move your pins to another service. read your data before you request account deletion, because once the 30-day period ends, you cannot recover this information.

The difference between deactivation and deletion

Deactivation hides your account when ready but keeps it in Pinterest's system for 30 days. Your profile, pins, and boards disappear from public view. Other users cannot find you or see what you saved. If you log back in within 30 days, everything reappears and your account is active again. After 30 days of inactivity, a deactivated account is automatically deleted.

Deletion is the permanent option. You request it, confirm it via email, wait 30 days, and then your account is gone for good. You cannot recover it. Choose deletion if you're certain you won't use Pinterest again. Choose deactivation only if you might want to come back within a month.

What to do if you cannot access your email

If you've forgotten the email address attached to your Pinterest account or no longer have access to it, you cannot complete the deletion process on your own. Pinterest requires email confirmation to delete an account. Go to the Pinterest Help Center and look for the contact form. Explain that you want to delete your account but cannot access the associated email address. Pinterest support can sometimes help, though response times vary.

If you have a backup email address on file in your Pinterest account, update it to an email you can access before requesting deletion. You can do this in Settings under Email. Once you've updated it, follow the deletion steps above using your new email address.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete my Pinterest account if I have a business account?

Yes, the process is the same. Go to Settings, choose Delete account, confirm your password, and click the confirmation link in your email. Business accounts follow the same 30-day waiting period before permanent deletion.

What happens to pins I saved from other people's boards?

They disappear from your account but remain on the original boards where they were posted. Other users will still see those pins; they just won't be associated with your account anymore.

Can someone else create a new Pinterest account with the same email address after I delete mine?

Yes, after your account is fully deleted, that email address becomes available for a new account. If you want to prevent this, you could create a new account with that email and then delete it, but this is not necessary for most people.

How do I know if my deletion request actually went through?

Check your email for the confirmation message from Pinterest. If you don't see it within a few minutes, check your spam folder. You must click the link in that email for the deletion to be scheduled. If you never receive the email, your deletion request did not start.

Can I delete my account if I'm locked out?

If you cannot log in, use Pinterest's password reset feature to regain access. Go to the Pinterest login page, click "Forgot password?", and follow the steps to reset it using your email address. Once you can log in again, follow the deletion steps above.