The two ways to connect with people on Pinterest
Pinterest works differently from most social networks. You don't send friend requests or wait for approval — instead, you follow people's boards and they follow yours. When you find someone whose pins interest you, you can follow their account directly, and they'll see that you're following them. You can also invite people you know by email or by searching for their username if they already have a Pinterest account.
The method you use depends on whether the person is already on Pinterest. If they are, you search for them and follow their account. If they're not, you can send them an email invitation to join. Both take less than a minute.
Key Takeaways
- You follow people on Pinterest rather than sending friend requests — they see you're following them, but don't have to approve it.
- To follow someone already on Pinterest, search for their username or name in the search bar, find their profile, and click the Follow button.
- To invite someone not yet on Pinterest, go to your profile settings, select "Invite friends," and enter their email address.
- You can also follow people by clicking the Follow button on any of their pins that appear in your feed.
- Followers and following counts appear on your profile, but you can make your following list private in your settings if you prefer.
How to follow someone already on Pinterest
Open Pinterest and use the search bar at the top of the screen. Type the person's username or full name. Pinterest will show you a list of accounts that match what you typed. Look through the results until you find the right person — their profile picture and bio will help you confirm it's them.
Click on their profile name to open their account page. You'll see their pins, boards, and a gray Follow button near the top of the page. Click that button, and you're now following them. Their account will show that you're a follower, and you'll start seeing their pins in your home feed.
If you don't know their exact username, try searching for their first and last name, or a nickname you know they use. Pinterest's search is fairly forgiving with spelling variations.
How to invite someone by email
Click your profile icon in the bottom right corner of the screen (on mobile) or top right (on desktop). Select "Settings" from the menu that appears. Scroll down until you see "Invite friends" and click it.
A box will open where you can type email addresses. You can add one person at a time or paste multiple addresses separated by commas. Type or paste the email addresses of the people you want to invite, then click "Send invites." Pinterest will send them an email with a link to join your account and follow you.
The people you invite will receive an email from Pinterest with your name and profile picture. They can click the link to create an account and start following you immediately, or they can ignore the invitation. There's no limit to how many people you can invite.
Following people from pins in your feed
As you scroll through your Pinterest home feed, you'll see pins from accounts you follow and accounts Pinterest thinks you might like. When you see a pin from someone interesting, you can follow them without visiting their full profile. Hover over or tap the pin, and you'll see the account name at the bottom. Click on that name, and it will take you to their profile where you can click Follow.
Alternatively, some pins show a small profile picture of the person who pinned it. Clicking that picture takes you directly to their profile, where you can follow them with one click.
What happens when you follow someone
When you follow someone on Pinterest, you'll see their pins appear in your home feed. You don't have to do anything else — there's no approval step or waiting period. The person you followed will see your account listed as a follower on their profile page, but they won't receive a notification unless they have notifications turned on for new followers.
Your follower count and following count both appear on your profile. If you want to keep your following list private, you can change that in your settings. Go to Settings, select "Privacy and data," and toggle off "Show who I follow."
Unfollowing someone or blocking an account
If you change your mind about following someone, go to their profile and click the Following button (it will have changed from gray to blue or colored). Click it again, and you'll unfollow them. You won't see their pins in your feed anymore, but they can still see that you unfollowed them if they check their follower list.
If you want to prevent someone from following you or seeing your pins, you can block them. Go to their profile, click the three dots menu, and select "Block this account." They won't be able to find your profile or see your pins, and they won't be notified that you blocked them.
Using Pinterest's suggested accounts feature
Pinterest shows you suggested accounts based on the pins you save and the boards you follow. On your home feed, you'll sometimes see a section that says "Suggested accounts for you" with profile pictures and Follow buttons. This is Pinterest's way of recommending people whose content matches your interests.
You can follow any of these suggested accounts by clicking the Follow button next to their name. You can also ignore the suggestions — they'll be replaced with new ones over time as your interests change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do people get notified when I follow them?
Not automatically. Most people have notifications turned off for new followers. However, if someone has enabled notifications for new followers in their settings, they will see that you followed them. There's no way to know whether a specific person has this turned on.
Can I follow someone without them seeing it?
No. When you follow someone, they can see your account listed as a follower on their profile page. However, they won't receive a notification about it unless they've turned on notifications for new followers. You can make your own following list private so others can't see who you follow.
What's the difference between following and saving pins?
Following someone means you'll see all their future pins in your feed. Saving a pin means you're adding that specific pin to one of your boards. You can save pins from people you don't follow, and you can follow people without saving any of their pins.
Can I follow a business account or brand?
Yes. Business accounts work the same way as personal accounts — you search for them and click Follow. Many brands and businesses use Pinterest to share products and ideas, and following them works exactly like following a person.
How do I find people I know on Pinterest?
Search for their name or username in the search bar. You can also go to your Settings, select "Invite friends," and Pinterest can search your email contacts to show you which of your contacts already have Pinterest accounts. This makes it easy to find and follow people you know.