What a Pinterest board is and why you'd create one
A Pinterest board is a collection you create to save pins — images and links — organized around a theme you choose. When you save a pin to a board, it stays there for you to view later, and depending on your privacy settings, other people can see it too. You might create a board for home renovation ideas, recipes you want to try, clothing styles you like, or anything else you want to gather in one place.
Creating a board takes about two minutes and requires only a name and a description. Once it exists, you can add pins to it whenever you find something worth saving. Other Pinterest users can also save pins to your board if you make it public and they have permission, which turns it into a shared collection.
Because boards are visible to other users (unless you make them private), anything you save there becomes part of your public profile. This is the main privacy consideration: your boards show your interests, and anyone visiting your profile can see what you've collected.
Key Takeaways
- Create a board by clicking the plus icon in the top right, selecting "Create board," naming it, and choosing whether it's public or private.
- Public boards are visible to anyone on Pinterest and appear on your profile; private boards are visible only to you.
- You can add a description and a cover image to your board so other users understand what it contains.
- Once a board exists, you save pins to it by clicking the save button on any pin and selecting the board from your list.
- Other users can see what you've saved on public boards, so consider your privacy settings before saving sensitive or personal content.
How to create a new board step by step
Open Pinterest and log into your account. In the top right corner of the screen, you'll see a plus icon (+). Click it and select "Create board" from the menu that appears.
A form will open asking for a board name. Type a clear, descriptive name — "Kitchen Remodel Ideas," "Outfit Inspiration," or "Gardening Tips" are examples. The name should tell other users what the board contains. Below the name field, you'll see a description box. This is optional but helpful: write a sentence or two about what you're collecting. For example, "Modern kitchen designs under $10,000" or "straightforward weeknight dinners for families."
Next, you'll choose who can see the board. Select "Public" if you want other Pinterest users to find it and save pins from it. Select "Private" if you want only you to see it. Private boards don't appear on your profile and won't show up in search results. You can change this setting later if you change your mind.
Click "Create" and your board is live. You'll be taken to the empty board page, where you can now start saving pins.
Public versus private boards and what others can see
A public board appears on your profile for anyone to browse. Other Pinterest users can see the board name, description, cover image, and all the pins you've saved to it. They can also save pins from your board to their own boards, and they can follow your board to get updates when you add new pins. Public boards are searchable, so someone looking for "kitchen remodel ideas" might find your board in results.
A private board is invisible to everyone except you. It won't appear on your profile, won't show up in searches, and other users can't see what you've saved. Private boards are useful for personal planning, sensitive topics, or anything you don't want to share. Only you can add pins to a private board.
Keep in mind that even on a public board, Pinterest doesn't show other users your full name or contact information — only your username and profile picture. However, your boards do reveal your interests and preferences, which is information worth considering before you save something. If you save pins about a medical condition, financial situation, or other personal matter, that information becomes visible to anyone who visits your profile.
Adding pins to your board once it's created
To save a pin to your new board, find a pin you like anywhere on Pinterest. Hover over the pin and a save button will appear. Click it, and a menu will show all your boards. Select the board you just created, and the pin is saved.
You can also save pins from outside Pinterest. If you find an image on a website you like, use the Pinterest browser extension or the save button that appears on some websites to save it directly to your board. The pin will include a link back to the original website.
You can add as many pins as you want to a board, and you can organize them by dragging and dropping them into a new order. You can also delete pins from a board by clicking the three dots on the pin and selecting "Delete from board."
Editing your board name, description, and cover image
To change your board's name or description after you've created it, go to the board and click the three dots in the top right corner. Select "Edit board." You can now change the name, description, or privacy setting. Click "Save" when you're done.
The cover image is the picture that shows up when someone views your profile or searches for boards. Pinterest automatically uses the first pin you saved to the board as the cover. To change it, click the three dots on the board and select "Edit board." Scroll down to "Board cover" and click on the current image. You can then select a different pin from your board to use as the cover, or upload a new image from your device.
You can also add a category to your board — such as "Home," "Fashion," or "Food" — which helps other users understand what your board is about. This option appears in the edit board menu.
Inviting others to collaborate on a board
If you want other people to add pins to your board, you can invite them as collaborators. Go to your board, click the three dots, and select "Invite collaborators." Enter the Pinterest username or email address of the person you want to invite. They'll receive a notification and can accept or decline the invitation.
Collaborators can add, delete, and organize pins on the board just as you can. However, they can't change the board's name, description, privacy setting, or delete the board itself — only the board creator can do those things. This is useful for group planning, like a wedding board shared with a partner or a vacation board shared with friends.
If you want to remove a collaborator, go to the board, click the three dots, and select "Manage collaborators." Find the person's name and click the X next to it.
Understanding what happens to your board data
When you create a board and save pins to it, Pinterest stores information about what you've saved, when you saved it, and who you are. If your board is public, Pinterest also stores information about who views it, who saves pins from it, and who follows it. This data helps Pinterest show you more pins you might like and helps it recommend your board to other users with similar interests.
Pinterest shares some of this information with advertisers in the form of aggregated data — they can see that people interested in "kitchen remodels" are also interested in "home improvement tools," but they don't see your individual name or contact information. However, if you've connected your Pinterest account to other platforms or provided personal information in your profile, Pinterest may use that to build a more detailed picture of your interests for advertising purposes.
If you delete a board, all the pins on it are removed, and the board no longer appears on your profile. However, the individual pins may still exist elsewhere on Pinterest if other users have saved them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change a board from public to private after I create it?
Yes. Go to the board, click the three dots, select "Edit board," and change the privacy setting from public to private. Any pins already on the board will become private. If you change it back to public later, the pins will be visible again.
What happens if I delete a board?
The board disappears from your profile when ready, and all pins on it are removed. If other users were following the board, they'll no longer see updates. The pins themselves may still exist elsewhere on Pinterest if other people saved them to their own boards.
Can someone save a pin from my public board to their own board?
Yes. When your board is public, other users can save any pin from it to their own boards. They can also follow your board to see new pins you add. You can't prevent this, but you can make a board private if you don't want others to access it.
Do I have to add a description when I create a board?
No, the description is optional. However, adding one helps other users understand what your board contains and makes it easier for people to find it through search.
Can I see who saved pins from my public board?
Pinterest doesn't show you a list of individual users who saved pins from your board. You can see how many times a pin has been saved overall, but not who saved it or to which boards.