Pinterest Shuffles: What It Is and How the Collage App Works

If you've seen those layered, cut-out collages on Pinterest and wondered how people make them, Shuffles is often the answer. It's a separate app, it only runs on phones and tablets, and it isn't available in every country yet.

Here's how it works, step by step, from Pinterest's help centre.

Before you download it

• It's mobile only. Pinterest says Shuffles is only available on iOS and Android devices, so there's no web version.
• It's not everywhere. If you open the help article from a country where it isn't available, Pinterest tells you so.
• You need a Pinterest account. If you don't have one, the app prompts you to create one.

Making your first Shuffle

1. Download Shuffles from the App Store or Google Play and log in with your Pinterest account.
2. Tap the Plus icon in the middle of the screen.
3. Use the menu at the bottom to add images, cutouts and more.
4. When you're happy, tap the arrow at the top right.
5. Choose your sharing settings and add a description and hashtags.
6. Tap Post Publicly, or switch the Public toggle off to Save Privately.

Public or private: changing it later

You can change your mind on any Shuffle. Go to your profile in the app, tap the Shuffle, tap the ellipsis icon at the bottom right and update the privacy settings.

There's also an account-wide setting worth checking. In your profile, tap the ellipsis icon at the top right and look under Account for Auto post Pinterest. That decides whether your Shuffles also post to Pinterest, so if you'd rather keep your collages to yourself, look there first.

Sharing or downloading a Shuffle

What you want	Where to tap
Send someone a link	Open the Shuffle, ellipsis icon, Share Link to Shuffle (on Android, Share from the side menu)
Use it as your phone background	Open the Shuffle, ellipsis icon, Download Wallpaper
Save it to your phone	On Android, ellipsis icon, Export

Download Wallpaper is a nice touch. A lot of people use Shuffles to make phone backgrounds, and this saves you resizing anything. If you're sharing with someone who doesn't use Shuffles, the link is the easier option, because they can open it without making their own collage first.

Favourites and finding the original Pin

If a cutout in someone's Shuffle catches your eye, tap it and then tap the star icon to save it as a favourite for your own collages.

Want to know where an image came from? Tap the cutout, then the info circle icon. If there's a Pin linked to it, you'll see View in Pinterest and Save to Board. That's useful when a collage includes a product you want to track down.

The deletion warning

This is the part I'd want someone to tell me before I signed up. Pinterest says deleting your Shuffles account also deletes your Pinterest account, because using Shuffles is an extension of your Pinterest account. It's permanent, and your Shuffles, boards and Pins all go.

So if you only want to stop using Shuffles, delete the app from your phone rather than the account. Only use the delete option if you want to close Pinterest too. If that's your plan, here's how to delete a Pinterest account with everything to check first.

If you do go ahead from inside Shuffles, it's your profile, the ellipsis icon at the top right, then Delete your data and account (on Android it's under Account), and then Send account deletion email. You finish the process from that email.

Ideas for your first few Shuffles

• A mood board for a room you're planning, using cutouts of furniture and colours you like.
• A custom phone wallpaper, saved with Download Wallpaper.
• An outfit board built from cutouts of pieces you're thinking of buying.
• A gift idea collage to share with family before a birthday.

Start private, play with the cutouts, and only post publicly once you like how it looks. There's no rush, and private Shuffles stay just for you. When you do post one publicly, add a short description and a few relevant hashtags in the sharing step, because that's what helps other people find it.

Shuffles vs collages in the Pinterest app

Pinterest also has a collage feature in its main app, and visual search lets you cut out objects from Pins to add to collages. If you don't want another app on your phone, that might be all you need. My guide to making a collage on Pinterest covers that route. Shuffles is the more playful option, built around cutouts and sharing.

Is it worth using for a business?

For brands with a strong visual style, interiors, fashion, food, gifts, it can be a fun way to make mood boards and shoppable-looking collages from your own product photos. For service businesses, I'd spend the time on regular Pins instead. Collages are lovely, but plain Pins with a clear title and a link are what send people to your website.

My advice

Try it if you enjoy making collages or want custom wallpapers. Keep your first few private until you've got the hang of the cutouts, check the Auto post Pinterest setting so nothing goes public by surprise, and never use the delete account button unless you mean to lose Pinterest as well.

Frequently asked questions

What is Pinterest Shuffles?

Shuffles is a collage tool from Pinterest that lets you create, publish and share visual content. You download it from the App Store or Google Play.

Can you use Shuffles on a computer?

No. Pinterest says Shuffles is only available on iOS and Android mobile devices at the moment.

Do I need a Pinterest account for Shuffles?

Yes. You log in with your Pinterest account, and if you don't have one, the app prompts you to create one.

Can I make a Shuffle private?

Yes. Toggle Public off to Save Privately when you post, or change the privacy settings later from the ellipsis icon on the Shuffle.

Does deleting Shuffles delete Pinterest?

Yes. Deleting your Shuffles account also deletes your Pinterest account, including your Shuffles, boards and Pins, and it's permanent.