It’s been a while coming but Pinterest have just rolled out secret boards. These are boards that will not appear anywhere on Pinterest: you won’t see your activity show up, you won’t appear in searches, you won’t see them on your home page and, crucially, neither will anyone else.
So, if you are planning world domination, a secret party, or have been inspired by a pin to create the best idea ever and don’t want anyone to steal it (I know, you are shocked that people steal ideas and content aren’t you?) the Secret Board is for you.
This is what you need to know about Secret Boards on Pinterest.
How do I create a Secret Board on Pinterest?
Two ways:
- Either choose Add from the top right navigation bar near your profile icon, select Create a Board, fill in the details of the board and then switch the ‘secret’ slider across to On. You will then see a padlock symbol next to the name of your board.
- The second way is via your Boards page. Scroll all the way to the bottom, where you will find a panel entitled Secret Boards. Choose one of the three boards, fill in the details and this is your secret board.
How many Secret Boards can I have?
Three. You can be invited to pin to others’ Secret Boards and you can pin collaboratively to as many of those as you choose.
How do I invite people to pin on a Secret Board?
As you would with other boards. Click on Edit Board on your secret board. Scroll down to Who Can Pin and enter a name in the box, then click invite.
How do I make a Secret Board un-secret?
Scroll down to the Secret Board on your profile page, then select the Edit Board option. Switch the button marked secret from on to off. The board is now visible to all of those followers who opted to follow all of your boards. The individual pins will appear in searches and categories. If you invited anyone to pin with you on a secret board, their pins and their comments will likewise be visible to all users of Pinterest.
What happens if a Secret Board I am pinning on is made Visible?
All your activity on that board will be public, including pins and comments.The board curator is the only person who has the authority to make a secret board public, but they can do this at any time. My feeling is that you should be cautious at this stage and only pin to Secret Boards of people that you trust.
The crucial information on the Pinterest website seems to be this: You can’t change a board back to secret after you’ve made it visible to everyone—and you can’t make existing boards secret.
So how do I remove myself and my pins from a board that has been made public?
In the same way that you would leave another collaborative board: click the Edit Board button underneath the board you want to leave. Find your name on the Boards Team list, and click the Leave button.
According to the information Pinterest provides, all individual pins and comments made by you on formerly Secret Boards will still exist if you leave the board once it is public. You will have to edit each pin to remove your identity.
I have tested these facilities to the best of my ability and will update over the next few days as everyone discovers the secret to Secrets boards. If you have further queries, try the Pinterest Support Centre.
Go on! You know you want to tell me what you think!