How-to
How to find and copy a Pinterest board URL (and what pin.it links are)
Published · Lucas Viegas · 5 min read
A Pinterest board URL is pinterest.com/username/board-name/. On the web, copy it from the address bar. In the app, tap the share icon and choose Copy link, which gives a short pin.it link that opens the same board.
Below: the URL’s shape, the steps for web, Android and iPhone using Pinterest’s own button names, where pin.it links lead, section addresses, and why a private board link works only for you.
What does a Pinterest board URL look like?
Two segments after the domain. The first is the username, which Pinterest’s Edit your profile page says creates the profile’s unique web address (Pinterest itself is pinterest.com/Pinterest). The second is the board name, lowercased with hyphens, so “Kitchen ideas” becomes pinterest.com/username/kitchen-ideas/. A country domain such as pinterest.co.uk changes nothing: the path identifies the board, and the pinterest.com version of the same path opens it too.
How do I copy a Pinterest board link on the web, Android and iPhone?
The labels below come from Pinterest’s Share Pins, boards, and profiles page, the one that documents Copy link.
- 1
Open the board itself, not a pin
On pinterest.com or in the app, open the board from your profile, from search, or by tapping the board name under a pin saved to it. A pin page (pinterest.com/pin/ plus a long number) is not the board.
- 2
On the web, copy the address bar
Click the address bar, select all and copy: pinterest.com/username/board-name/. The share icon above the pins is for sending the board to Pinterest contacts or a social network, not for copying the plain link.
- 3
On Android, tap the share icon, then Copy link
Open the board (for your own board, tap the arrow next to Your saves first), tap the share icon at the top, then tap the link icon labelled Copy link, or pick an app from the same row to send it directly.
- 4
On iPhone, tap the share icon and pick the link option
Open the board, tap the arrow next to Your saves if it is yours, then the share icon at the top, and swipe across the row of destinations to copy the link or pass it to another app. Pinterest’s iOS page does not name the button; on Android it is Copy link.
- 5
Test the link in a private browser window
Paste it into a private or incognito window where you are not logged in. If the board loads, anyone and any app can read it. A login prompt or an empty page means the board is private; the fix is below.
What is a pin.it link, and where does it go?
pin.it is Pinterest’s own short-link domain, and it is what the app’s share sheet hands out: the domain plus a short code, such as pin.it/AbC12dE. Pinterest’s help pages do not describe it, so here is what following one shows. A pin.it address redirects through Pinterest’s URL shortener on api.pinterest.com and on to the full pinterest.com page of the board or pin. The bare domain, and any code that no longer resolves, land on Pinterest’s home page rather than an error.
The page you land on often carries parameters after a question mark that record who shared it; delete them and the board still opens. To expand a pin.it link, open it and copy the address bar once it loads.
Which Pinterest link do you have?
| Link type | Looks like | Who can open it | Whole public board? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public board | pinterest.com/username/board-name/ | Anyone, logged in or not | Yes |
| pin.it share link | pin.it/AbC12dE | Anyone; it redirects to the full pinterest.com page | Yes, whatever the code points at |
| Board section | pinterest.com/username/board-name/section-name/ | Anyone, if the parent board is public | One section of it |
| Single pin | pinterest.com/pin/123456789012345678/ | Anyone, if the pin sits on a public board | No, one image |
| Private board | Same shape as a public board | Only you and the people you invited, while logged in | Not for other people or apps |
How do board sections change the URL?
A section is a folder inside a board. Pinterest’s Create a board section page has you open the board, use the plus icon at the bottom, choose Section, name it, then Add on the web or Next in the app. Each section gets the board URL plus one more segment: pinterest.com/username/board-name/section-name/. To share one, open it and copy the address bar; the help page lists no separate share step for sections. Some tools address a board by username and board name only and load the whole parent board.
Why does a secret board link fail in other apps?
Pinterest now calls secret boards private boards. Its Private boards page says only you and anyone you invite can see one, and it appears neither in search nor on your public profile. The URL has the same shape as a public board’s, which is the trap: the link opens for you because you are logged in, while everyone else, and every app reading from outside, gets a login prompt or an empty page. Copy link under the invite icon does not help either; the group boards page describes it as an invitation for collaborators, so it admits one person, not the public.
The fix: open the board, click the ellipsis icon, choose Edit info and settings, switch off Make this board private and click Done. Pinterest’s Create a board page still uses the older wording, Keep this board secret on the web and Make this board secret in the app. The make a Pinterest board public guide walks through it on all three platforms.
Why is my Pinterest board link not working?
Five causes cover nearly every case:
- It is not a board link: a pin (
/pin/plus a number), a profile (the username alone) or a search page. - The board is private, so it opens only for you. Flip the switch above.
- The board or the username was renamed after the link was copied. Open the board and copy it again.
- A pin.it code was retyped by hand. Paste it instead.
- It is a group-board invite link, meant for one collaborator, not the board address.
What do you paste to get the board on your desktop?
Either form. VisionWall is a macOS menu-bar app that turns any public Pinterest board into a live, rotating desktop wallpaper: paste the full board URL or the pin.it link from the share sheet once, and new pins appear on your desktop automatically, refreshed every 30 minutes by default and adjustable from 2 minutes to 2 hours. It reads whole boards, so a section link loads its parent board, and public boards only: private, secret and private group boards cannot be read, hence the private-window test above. It costs $11.99 one-time, with no subscription and no account, and needs macOS 13.3 (Ventura) or later. The Pinterest board to Mac wallpaper guide covers the setup.
Questions people ask about Pinterest board links
How do I copy a Pinterest board link without the app?
Open pinterest.com in any browser, including Safari or Chrome on a phone, open the board and copy the address bar. That address, pinterest.com/username/board-name/, is the board URL.
Is a pin.it link the same as the full board URL?
Yes. Opening a pin.it link redirects to the full pinterest.com page of the same board or pin. To get the full URL, open it in a browser and copy the address bar once it loads.
Do pin.it links expire?
Pinterest does not publish an expiry. When one stops opening, the board behind it has usually been made private, renamed or deleted. Open the board on Pinterest and copy a fresh link instead of repairing the short one.
Can I share a link to one section of a board?
Yes. Open the section and copy its address, pinterest.com/username/board-name/section-name/. Whether another app reads only that section depends on the app; some load the whole parent board.