What a Pinterest Board Is and Why You'd Create One

A board on Pinterest is a collection you create to gather pins — the images and links you find on Pinterest or elsewhere on the web. Think of it as a folder or scrapbook. When you save a pin to a board, that pin stays there until you delete it, and other people can see it (unless you make the board private).

You create boards because they let you organize pins by topic. Someone might have a board for kitchen renovation ideas, another for recipes they want to try, and another for gift ideas for their partner. Boards make it easier to find things later, and they let other people discover what you're interested in.

Every Pinterest account starts with the ability to create boards. You don't need permission or a special account type — the feature is built in.

Key Takeaways

  • Create a new board by clicking the plus icon next to "Boards" on your profile, naming it, and choosing whether it's public or private.
  • Public boards are visible to anyone on Pinterest; private boards are visible only to you and people you invite.
  • You can add pins to a board when you save them, or move pins between boards after you've saved them.
  • Boards can have multiple people contributing to them if you invite collaborators, which is useful for group planning or shared interests.
  • You can delete, rename, or change the privacy setting of a board at any time.

Creating Your First Board on Desktop

On a computer, go to your Pinterest profile by clicking your profile icon in the top right corner and selecting "Profile." Look for the word "Boards" on the left side of your profile page. Next to it, you'll see a plus icon (it looks like a +). Click that icon.

A box will appear asking you to name your board. Type a clear, specific name — "Kitchen Remodel Ideas" is better than "Stuff I Like" because it tells you and other people what's in there. Below the name field, you'll see a dropdown menu that says "Public" or "Private." Public means anyone on Pinterest can see it. Private means only you can see it (unless you invite someone to collaborate). Choose which one you want, then click "Create."

Your new board now exists and is ready to receive pins. You don't have to add anything to it right away.

Creating a Board on the Pinterest App

Open the Pinterest app on your phone or tablet and tap your profile icon at the bottom right. Tap "Boards." In the top right corner, you'll see a plus icon. Tap it.

Type your board name in the box that appears. Below that, you'll see a toggle or dropdown for "Public" or "Private" — tap to choose. Then tap "Create" or "Done" (the exact wording depends on your app version). The board is now created and ready to use.

The process is the same whether you're on iPhone, Android, or iPad — the buttons are in the same places.

Saving Pins to Your Boards

When you find a pin you want to save, hover over it (on desktop) or tap it (on the app). A "Save" button will appear. Click or tap it. A menu will pop up showing all your boards. Select the board where you want this pin to go, and it's saved.

If you haven't created a board yet and you're saving a pin, you can create a new board right from this menu without leaving the pin. Just look for an option that says "Create board" or a plus icon, enter your board name and privacy setting, and the pin will be saved to that new board when ready.

You can save the same pin to multiple boards if you want. For example, you might save a recipe pin to both your "Dinner Ideas" board and your "Quick Weeknight Meals" board.

Making a Board Private or Changing It Later

Once you've created a board, you can change whether it's public or private. On desktop, go to your profile, find the board, and click the three dots (menu icon) in the corner of the board's preview. Select "Edit board." You'll see the privacy setting — change it and click "Save."

On the app, tap your profile, tap "Boards," find the board, and tap the three dots. Select "Edit board" and change the privacy setting, then save.

You can also rename a board, add a description, or delete it entirely from this same menu. If you delete a board, the pins don't disappear from Pinterest — they just stop being organized in that collection, and other people can no longer see them grouped together.

Inviting Others to Collaborate on a Board

Pinterest lets you invite other people to add pins to a board you created. This is useful if you're planning something with a partner, organizing a group gift, or sharing ideas with friends. On desktop, go to the board, click the three dots, and select "Invite collaborators." Enter the email address or Pinterest username of the person you want to invite. They'll get a notification and can accept or decline.

On the app, tap the board, tap the three dots, and look for "Invite collaborators" or "Add collaborators." Enter their information the same way. Once they accept, they can save pins to that board just like you can.

Collaborators can add and remove pins, but they cannot delete the board or change who else is invited. Only the person who created the board can do those things.

Organizing Pins Within a Board

After you've saved pins to a board, you might want to rearrange them. On desktop, go to the board and look for an option that says "Organize pins" or a sort icon. Click it, and you can drag pins to reorder them however you want. On the app, tap the board, tap the three dots, and select "Organize pins." Then drag pins to reorder them.

You can also move a pin from one board to another without deleting it. Hover over or tap the pin, select the menu, and choose "Move to board." Pick the destination board, and it's moved. The pin no longer appears in the old board.

If you want to remove a pin from a board without moving it elsewhere, hover over or tap it and select "Remove from board" or the trash icon. The pin disappears from that board but stays in your Pinterest account if you've saved it to other boards.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see who saved pins to my public board?

No. Pinterest doesn't show you which specific people saved pins from your board. You can see how many times a pin has been saved across all of Pinterest, but not who did the saving. You can see who is collaborating on a board if you invited them, but not casual viewers.

What happens to my pins if I delete a board?

The pins themselves stay in your Pinterest account — they're not deleted. They just stop being organized in that board. If you've saved a pin to multiple boards, it remains in your other boards. If you've saved it only to the board you deleted, it becomes unsaved.

Can I make a board private after I've already made it public?

Yes. Go to the board, click or tap the three dots, select "Edit board," change the privacy setting from Public to Private, and save. Anyone who saw it before will no longer be able to see it, but the pins and any collaborators you invited will remain.

Do I have a limit on how many boards I can create?

Pinterest does not publish a specific limit on the number of boards a regular account can create. You can create as many as you need. If you're creating thousands of boards in a short time, Pinterest's systems may flag it as unusual activity, but normal use has no practical limit.

Can someone else create a board on my account?

No. Only you can create boards on your account. Collaborators can add pins to boards you've invited them to, but they cannot create new boards or change account settings. Your login credentials are yours alone.