The fastest way to add someone on Pinterest

You can add someone on Pinterest in three ways: search for them by username, find them through your contacts, or follow a link to their profile. The search method works best if you know their username. The contacts method works if they have a Pinterest account linked to an email address you have. Once you find the person, you tap or click the "Follow" button on their profile — that's the entire process.

Pinterest calls this "following" rather than "friending" like Facebook does. When you follow someone, you see their pins in your home feed, but they don't automatically see yours unless they follow you back. You can unfollow anyone at any time without notifying them.

Key Takeaways

  • Search for someone by their Pinterest username in the search bar at the top of the app or website, then tap "Follow" on their profile.
  • You can also find people through your phone contacts if they have a Pinterest account — the app will show you a list of contacts who are already on Pinterest.
  • Following someone on Pinterest is one-way: they see your pins only if they follow you back.
  • You can follow someone without them knowing, and you can unfollow them at any time without sending a notification.

Adding someone by searching their username

Open Pinterest and tap the search icon at the bottom of the screen (on mobile) or look for the search bar at the top (on desktop). Type the person's Pinterest username into the search box. Pinterest will show you a list of results — usernames appear with an @ symbol, like @sarah_chen.

Tap or click on the username that matches the person you're looking for. Their profile will open, showing their pins, boards, and a "Follow" button. Tap or click "Follow" and you're done. You'll now see their pins in your home feed.

If you don't know their exact username, search for their real name instead. Pinterest will show you profiles of people with that name, and you can look through the results to find the right person. Check their profile photo or the pins they've saved to make sure it's actually them before following.

Finding people through your phone contacts

On the Pinterest mobile app, tap your profile icon in the bottom right corner, then tap the three horizontal lines (the menu) at the top right. Scroll down and tap "Find Friends." Pinterest will ask permission to access your phone contacts — tap "Allow" or "Continue."

The app will scan your contacts and show you a list of people who already have Pinterest accounts. Tap "Follow" next to anyone you want to add. You can follow multiple people at once this way, or skip anyone you don't want to follow.

This method only works on the mobile app, not on the desktop website. If you're on a computer, you'll need to search for people by username instead.

Adding someone from a shared link or recommendation

If someone sends you a link to their Pinterest profile, tap or click the link and it will open their profile directly. Tap or click the "Follow" button and you're added. This is the fastest method if you already have the link.

You might also see recommendations for people to follow on your home feed or in the "Explore" section. These are usually people who save similar pins to you or who follow accounts you follow. Tap "Follow" next to their name to add them.

What happens after you follow someone

Once you follow someone, their pins will start appearing in your home feed mixed in with pins from other people you follow and from Pinterest's recommendations. You'll see their newest pins first, then older ones as you scroll.

The person you followed won't get a notification that you're following them. They can see you're a follower if they look at their follower list, but Pinterest doesn't send them a message or alert. If they follow you back, you'll see a "Following" label next to their name when you visit their profile.

If you change your mind, you can unfollow them at any time by going to their profile and tapping or clicking "Following" (which will change back to "Follow"). Again, they won't be notified that you unfollowed them.

Troubleshooting: When you can't find someone

If you search for someone and can't find them, they may have a private account, a very new account, or they may have deleted their account. Private accounts don't show up in search results the same way public accounts do. You can still follow a private account if you have a direct link to their profile, but they'll have to approve your follow request first.

Try searching for variations of their name if the exact spelling doesn't work. Pinterest usernames are case-insensitive, so @Sarah_Chen and @sarah_chen are the same account, but the person might have used a nickname or middle name instead of their full name.

If the person is brand new to Pinterest, their account might not be fully indexed by search yet. Ask them for a direct link to their profile, or try searching again in a few days.

The difference between following and other Pinterest connections

Pinterest has a few different ways to connect with people, and they work differently. Following is what we've covered — you see their pins in your feed, but it's one-way unless they follow you back. Messaging

Saving to a group board

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone tell if I'm following them on Pinterest?

They won't get a notification, but they can see you're a follower if they look at their follower list on their profile. Pinterest doesn't send alerts when someone new follows you, so they might not notice unless they actively check.

What if I follow someone and they don't follow me back?

That's completely normal on Pinterest. Following is one-way, so you can follow anyone whose pins interest you without them following you back. You'll still see their pins in your feed, and they can see you're a follower if they look at their profile.

Can I follow someone on Pinterest if they have a private account?

If their account is private, you can't find them through search. But if you have a direct link to their profile, you can still tap "Follow" — they'll get a notification that you've requested to follow them, and they can approve or deny your request.

How do I stop seeing someone's pins in my feed?

Go to their profile and tap or click the "Following" button to unfollow them. Their pins will stop appearing in your home feed. You can always follow them again later if you change your mind.

Can I follow someone without them knowing my account?

Yes. They won't get a notification that you're following them, and they only know if they check their follower list. Your profile is public by default, so they could find you if they look, but Pinterest doesn't tell them you're there.