The three ways to search for people on Pinterest

You can find someone on Pinterest through the search bar at the top of the app or website, by looking at who follows accounts you already follow, or by searching for their email address if they've linked one to their account. The search bar is the fastest method — type a name, username, or email and Pinterest shows you matching accounts. The other two routes work when you're not sure of someone's exact username or when you want to browse without leaving a visible search trail.

Pinterest does not notify the person you search for that you looked them up. Unlike Instagram or Facebook, there is no "search history" feature that other users can see, and searching for someone does not send them a notification or add you to any list. Your searches are private to you.

Key Takeaways

  • Type a name, username, or email into the Pinterest search bar to find accounts directly, and results show verified accounts first.
  • Pinterest does not notify users when you search for them or view their profile, and your search history is not visible to anyone else.
  • If you follow someone who follows the person you're looking for, you can browse their followers list to find them without using the search bar.
  • Searching by email works only if the person has linked their email to their Pinterest account and made it searchable in their privacy settings.
  • You can view someone's public boards and pins without following them, and they will not know you visited their profile.

Using the search bar to find a specific person

Open Pinterest on your phone or computer and tap or click the search icon (a magnifying glass) at the top of the screen. Type the person's name, username, or email address into the search field. Pinterest will show you results for people, pins, and boards that match what you typed.

Look for the "People" tab or section in the results — it usually appears near the top. Verified accounts (marked with a checkmark) show up first. If you see the person you're looking for, tap or click their name to open their profile. You can now see their public boards, saved pins, and any pins they've created, depending on what they've chosen to make public.

If the search returns many results with similar names, look for other details that might help you identify the right person — their profile photo, the boards they've created, or the pins they've saved. Some people include their location or a short bio on their profile, which can help confirm you've found the right account.

Finding someone through mutual connections

If you follow someone who also follows the person you're looking for, you can browse that connection's followers list. Open the profile of someone you follow, then tap or click "Followers" to see everyone who follows them. Scroll through the list to find the person you want.

This method works well when you know someone who knows the person you're searching for, or when you're not entirely sure of their username. It also leaves no search record on your account — you're just browsing a public list. The person you find will not know you looked at the followers list, and they will not receive any notification that you viewed their profile.

Searching by email address

Some people link their email address to their Pinterest account. If you know someone's email, you can type it into the search bar and Pinterest may show you their account. This only works if they've added that email to their account and have not disabled email search in their privacy settings.

Email search is useful if you have someone's contact information but are not sure of their username. However, not everyone makes their email searchable — some users turn this feature off in their account settings to keep their account harder to find. If no results appear when you search by email, it means either they do not have a Pinterest account, or they've disabled email search in their privacy settings.

What happens when you view someone's profile

When you visit someone's Pinterest profile, they do not receive a notification that you were there. Pinterest does not have a "profile views" feature like some other social media platforms do. You can look at their boards, pins, and saved content without them knowing you visited.

If you follow them, they will see your name in their followers list. If you save one of their pins to your own board, they may see that activity in their notifications, depending on their settings. But straightforward viewing their profile or looking at their pins does not alert them in any way.

Keeping your own profile harder to find

If you want to make it harder for people to search for you on Pinterest, you can adjust your privacy settings. Go to your account settings and look for options related to search visibility or discoverability. You can disable email search so people cannot find you by typing in your email address. You can also make your profile private, which means only people you approve can see your boards and pins.

Keep in mind that making your profile private does not hide you from search results entirely — people can still see that your account exists, but they cannot view your content without your permission. If you want to be completely unsearchable, you would need to deactivate your account, which removes you from search results but also means you cannot use Pinterest.

What to do if you cannot find someone

If you search for someone and cannot find them, they may have a different username than you expected, or they may have deactivated their account. Try searching for variations of their name — people sometimes use nicknames, initials, or numbers in their usernames. Search for their email address if you have it.

You can also ask a mutual connection for their Pinterest username directly. If they've recently deactivated their account, you will not be able to find them through search, but their account may reappear if they reactivate it later. Pinterest does not provide a way to see deactivated accounts or to know when someone has left the platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Pinterest tell someone when you search for them?

No. Pinterest does not notify users when you search for them or view their profile. There is no search history feature that other users can see, and your searches are completely private to your account.

Can I find someone on Pinterest if I only know their first name?

You can try, but results will show many accounts with that name. Look through the results for other details like profile photo, location, or the boards they've created to identify the right person. If you know a mutual connection, browsing that person's followers list may be faster.

What if someone's profile is private?

You can still find their account through search, and you can see their username and profile photo. You cannot view their boards or pins unless they approve you as a follower. You can send them a follow request, and they will decide whether to accept it.

Can I search for someone anonymously on Pinterest?

Your searches are private — no one can see what you search for. However, if you follow the person or save their pins, they may see that activity. To browse without any trace, view their profile without following them or saving anything.

How do I find someone if they changed their username?

If someone changed their username, search results will show their new username, not the old one. Try searching by their email address if you have it, or ask a mutual connection for their current username. You can also look through your followers or the followers of accounts you follow to find them.