- Private profile or private boards: which do you need?
- How to make your Pinterest profile private on a computer
- How to make your Pinterest profile private in the app
- What changes when your profile is private
- How to invite people to follow a private profile
- Why you can't make a business account private
- The teen rules
- How to make a single board private instead
- Common questions people get wrong
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
To make your Pinterest private, go to Settings, open Profile visibility and switch on Private profile. A private profile won't appear in Pinterest search or in search engines, and only people you invite can follow you. Business accounts are always public, so you'd need to switch to a personal account first.
There are two levels of privacy on Pinterest, and people often mean one while searching for the other. You can make your whole profile private, or keep your profile public and make individual boards private. I'll cover both, plus the rules that stop some accounts going private at all.
Private profile or private boards: which do you need?
| Option | What it hides | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Private profile | Your whole profile, boards and Pins from search on Pinterest and from search engines. Only people you invite can follow you. | Personal accounts you want to keep among friends and family |
| Private board | One board. Only you and collaborators you invite can see it. | Gift lists, surprise parties, early project planning |
| Both | Everything above | Maximum privacy |
How to make your Pinterest profile private on a computer
- Log in to your Pinterest account.
- Click the more options icon at the bottom left of your screen.
- Click Settings.
- Click Profile visibility on the left side of the screen.
- Turn on the toggle next to Private profile.
How to make your Pinterest profile private in the app
- Open the Pinterest app and log in.
- Tap your profile picture at the bottom right of the screen.
- Tap your profile picture again at the top left.
- Tap Profile visibility.
- Turn on the toggle next to Private profile.
The steps are almost identical on iPhone and Android. To go public again later, come back to the same screen and switch the toggle off.
What changes when your profile is private
- Search: Pinterest says private profiles won't appear in search results on Pinterest or in search engines.
- Followers: people can't simply find and follow you. Instead, you invite the people you know to follow you.
- Boards and Pins: Pinterest describes profile visibility as controlling who can see your profile, boards and Pins.
How to invite people to follow a private profile
Once you're private, friends can't just search for you and tap Follow. Pinterest gives you a unique invite link instead, and it has a catch most people only find out when it stops working: each link expires after three days, or once five people have used it.
- On a computer, click your profile photo at the top right to open your profile.
- Click Share.
- Click Copy link and send it to the people you trust.
In the app, tap your profile photo at the bottom right, then your photo at the top left, tap View profile and use the share icon at the top right to copy the link. If you're inviting a big family group, send a fresh link every few people rather than one link to everyone.
If one person is the problem rather than everyone, blocking may suit you better. My guide on how to block someone on Pinterest explains what they see afterwards.
Why you can't make a business account private
Pinterest's help page is blunt about it: business profiles are always public. If you have a business account and want privacy, you'll need to change it to a personal account first, then switch on Private profile.
Think before you do that. Business accounts exist to be found, and switching to personal gives up the business tools. If you mainly want to hide a few planning boards from customers, keep the business account and use private boards instead. My guide on Pinterest business accounts covers switching between the two.
The teen rules
Pinterest treats teen profiles differently, and these are set by age rather than by a toggle:
| Account | 13 to 15 | 16 to 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | Private, and can't be made public | Private by default, can choose to go public |
| Business | Not allowed: you must be at least 16 to create a business account | Public |
Pinterest's privacy page adds that you must be 16 or over to edit your profile visibility. So if a younger teen can't find the switch, that's by design rather than a bug.
A new password is the other quick way to tighten an account, and my guide to changing a Pinterest password shows how.
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How to make a single board private instead
If you only want to hide one collection, you don't need a private profile. When you create a board, turn on Keep this board secret (it's called Make this board secret in the app). For an existing board, open its settings and switch on the private option.
Pinterest says private boards are visible only to you and any collaborators you invite, and its own suggestions for them are surprise parties, gift lists and early project planning. My step-by-step guide on making a secret board on Pinterest covers what happens to Pins you save there.
Common questions people get wrong
- "Private means no one sees my Pins." People you've invited to follow you can still see your profile.
- "Private boards hide me from my friends." A private board hides that board only; the rest of your public profile stays visible.
- "I can't find the setting." If you're on a business account or you're under 16, the option won't work for you, for the reasons above.
My verdict
For a personal account, switching on Private profile is the cleanest way to keep Pinterest to yourself and the people you invite. For a business, don't go private at all; keep the profile public so customers can find you, and use private boards for anything you're not ready to share. Check the setting from both your computer and phone once, then forget about it.
If it's a teen's account you're locking down, my guide to Pinterest's parental controls covers the passcode and the teen settings as well.
Frequently asked questions
Can you make your Pinterest account private?
Yes, on a personal account. Go to Settings, then Profile visibility, and switch on Private profile. Business accounts are always public.
Can people see my Pinterest if it's private?
Only people you invite to follow you. Pinterest says private profiles don't appear in search results on Pinterest or in search engines.
Why can't I make my Pinterest profile private?
Either you have a business account, which is always public, or you're under 16. Pinterest says you must be 16 or over to edit profile visibility.
Is a private board the same as a private profile?
No. A private board hides one board from everyone except you and invited collaborators. A private profile hides your whole profile from search and limits who can follow you.
