How to Unpin a Pin on Pinterest: A Step-by-Step Guide
Pinterest is a fantastic platform for discovering inspiration, collecting ideas, and organizing your interests through visually appealing pins. However, there might come a time when you want to remove a pin from one of your boards. Whether it’s because the pin is no longer relevant, you’ve found a better alternative, or you simply want to declutter your boards, unpinning is a straightforward process. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the steps of how to unpin a pin on Pinterest, covering various scenarios and devices.
## Understanding the Basics: What Does ‘Unpinning’ Mean?
Before diving into the step-by-step instructions, let’s clarify what ‘unpinning’ actually means on Pinterest. When you unpin a pin, you are removing it from *your* board. It doesn’t remove the original pin from Pinterest itself; it only removes the copy that you saved to your personal board. The original pin will still be visible to other users on Pinterest and on the profile of the person who originally pinned it. Unpinning is a way to curate your own boards and ensure they reflect your current interests and preferences.
## Methods for Unpinning a Pin
There are several ways to unpin a pin, depending on whether you’re using the Pinterest website on a desktop computer or the Pinterest mobile app on your smartphone or tablet. We’ll cover both methods in detail.
### Method 1: Unpinning a Pin on the Pinterest Website (Desktop)
This method is ideal for those who prefer using Pinterest on their computer. The larger screen makes it easier to navigate and manage your pins.
**Step 1: Log in to Your Pinterest Account**
Open your web browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge) and go to the Pinterest website: [www.pinterest.com](www.pinterest.com).
Enter your email address and password in the designated fields, then click the ‘Log in’ button. If you’ve previously saved your login information, you might be automatically logged in.
**Step 2: Navigate to the Board Containing the Pin**
Once you’re logged in, you need to find the board that contains the pin you want to unpin. There are a few ways to do this:
* **Option 1: Using the Profile Icon:** Click on your profile picture or icon in the top-right corner of the screen. This will take you to your profile page, where you’ll see all of your boards.
* **Option 2: Using the Saved Tab:** Click on the ‘Saved’ tab, usually located near the top-left corner of the screen. This will also take you to your profile page where you can see your boards.
Scroll through your boards until you find the one containing the pin you want to remove. Click on the board to open it.
**Step 3: Locate the Pin You Want to Unpin**
Browse through the pins on the board until you find the specific pin you want to unpin. Pins are typically arranged chronologically (most recently saved pins first), but you can also rearrange them manually.
**Step 4: Unpin the Pin**
Once you’ve found the pin, hover your mouse cursor over it. You should see a few icons appear in the upper-right corner of the pin. Look for the following:
* **Save Button (Typically Red):** This button might show the name of the board where the pin is currently saved. Sometimes it will show a checkmark.
* **Edit Icon (Pencil):** This icon allows you to edit the pin’s description, board, and other details.
* **More Options Icon (Three Dots):** This is usually represented by three horizontal dots in a vertical line. Clicking this icon will reveal a dropdown menu with more options.
To unpin the pin, click the **Save** button (the red button showing the board name, or the checkmark). When you click it, it toggles to allow you to remove the pin from the board.
A small window or a confirmation message might appear, asking you to confirm that you want to remove the pin from the board. If prompted, click ‘Remove’ or ‘Unsave’ to confirm your choice.
**Alternative Method via Edit Icon (Pencil Icon)**
1. Hover over the pin and click the **Edit** icon (pencil icon).
2. In the edit window, find the dropdown menu that shows the board’s name. Click on this dropdown.
3. Select the option labeled “Remove from board”.
4. Click “Save” or “Done”.
**Alternative Method via More Options (Three Dots Icon)**
1. Hover over the pin and click the **More Options** icon (three dots icon).
2. From the dropdown menu, select “Delete”. This will remove the pin from *your* board.
3. Confirm that you want to remove the pin, by clicking “Delete” again when prompted.
**Step 5: Verify the Pin Has Been Unpinned**
After completing the unpinning process, refresh the page (press F5 or click the refresh button in your browser) or navigate back to the board. The pin you unpinned should no longer be visible on the board.
### Method 2: Unpinning a Pin on the Pinterest Mobile App (iOS & Android)
This method is ideal for those who frequently use the Pinterest app on their smartphone or tablet. The mobile app provides a convenient way to manage your pins on the go.
**Step 1: Open the Pinterest App and Log In**
Locate the Pinterest app icon on your device’s home screen or app drawer. The icon is a white ‘P’ inside a red circle.
Tap the icon to open the app. If you’re not already logged in, enter your email address and password, then tap the ‘Log in’ button. You might also be able to log in using your Google or Facebook account if you’ve linked them to your Pinterest account.
**Step 2: Navigate to Your Profile**
In the Pinterest app, your profile is usually accessed via a dedicated tab. Look for one of the following icons at the bottom of the screen:
* **Profile Icon:** A silhouette of a person or a small representation of your profile picture.
* **’You’ Tab:** A tab labeled ‘You’ or your username.
Tapping on this icon or tab will take you to your Pinterest profile page, where you can see your boards, pins, and other account information.
**Step 3: Access Your Boards**
On your profile page, you’ll see a list of your Pinterest boards. Scroll through the list until you find the board that contains the pin you want to unpin. Tap on the board to open it.
**Step 4: Locate the Pin You Want to Unpin**
Browse through the pins on the board until you find the specific pin you want to remove. Scroll up and down to find it, or if your board has many pins, use the board’s search function if available.
**Step 5: Unpin the Pin**
Once you’ve found the pin you want to unpin, tap on it to open it in full-screen view.
In the full-screen view, look for the following icon, typically located at the bottom of the screen or in the upper-right corner:
* **Three Dots Icon (More Options):** This is usually represented by three dots arranged horizontally or vertically.
Tapping on the three dots icon will open a menu with several options. Look for the option labeled **’Edit Pin’** or something similar, then tap on it.
In the Edit Pin screen, you’ll usually see details about the pin, such as its description, the board it’s saved to, and a website link (if applicable). You should also see an option to **’Delete’** or **’Remove from board’**.
Tap on the **’Delete’** or **’Remove from board’** option.
A confirmation message might appear, asking you to confirm that you want to remove the pin from the board. If prompted, tap ‘Delete’ or ‘Remove’ to confirm your choice.
**Alternative Method (Save Button)**
1. Tap the Pin to open it.
2. Look for the **Saved** button on the pin (it shows which board the pin is saved to, and might have a checkmark on it).
3. Tap the **Saved** button. The pin is then unsaved from the board.
**Step 6: Verify the Pin Has Been Unpinned**
After confirming the unpinning process, the Pinterest app will typically return you to the board view. The pin you unpinned should no longer be visible on the board.
If the pin is still visible, try refreshing the board by swiping down from the top of the screen. This will reload the board content and ensure that the changes have been applied.
## Additional Tips and Considerations
* **Bulk Unpinning:** Pinterest doesn’t offer a direct feature for bulk unpinning multiple pins at once. However, there are third-party tools and browser extensions that claim to offer this functionality. Exercise caution when using these tools, as some might be unreliable or even harmful to your account. If you need to unpin a large number of pins, consider creating a new board and moving the pins you want to keep to the new board, then deleting the old board.
* **Board Sections:** If your board has sections, make sure you’re unpinning the pin from the correct section. The process is the same, but you need to navigate to the specific section containing the pin.
* **Archiving Boards:** Instead of unpinning pins individually, you might consider archiving an entire board. Archiving a board will hide it from your profile, but the pins will still be saved. You can unarchive the board later if you want to make it visible again.
* **Privacy:** Remember that unpinning a pin only removes it from *your* board. It doesn’t affect the original pin or the boards of other users who have saved it.
* **Accidental Unpinning:** If you accidentally unpin a pin, you can usually find it in your activity feed or by searching for it on Pinterest. You can then re-save it to the board.
* **Cleaning Up Boards Regularly:** Regularly reviewing your Pinterest boards and unpinning irrelevant or outdated pins is a good practice to keep your boards organized and aligned with your current interests. This also helps other users who visit your profile to get a better sense of your taste and style.
* **Using Secret Boards:** If you’re planning a surprise party, a secret project, or simply want to collect ideas privately, consider using secret boards. Secret boards are only visible to you and anyone you invite to collaborate on the board. This prevents others from seeing your pins before you’re ready to share them.
* **Collaborative Boards:** If you’re collaborating with others on a board, be mindful when unpinning pins. Unpinning a pin that someone else has added to the board might be disruptive to their contributions.
* **Pinterest Analytics:** Pinterest offers analytics tools that provide insights into the performance of your pins and boards. These analytics can help you identify which pins are resonating with your audience and which ones might be worth unpinning. For example, if a pin has very low engagement (e.g., few saves or clicks), it might be a good candidate for removal.
* **Copyright Considerations:** While unpinning removes the pin from your board, it doesn’t address any potential copyright issues related to the original pin. If you believe a pin infringes on your copyright, you should report it to Pinterest directly.
## Troubleshooting Common Issues
* **Pin Not Unpinning:** If you’re having trouble unpinning a pin, try refreshing the page or restarting the Pinterest app. Sometimes, temporary glitches can prevent changes from being saved.
* **Pin Still Visible After Unpinning:** If a pin is still visible on your board after you’ve unpinned it, try clearing your browser’s cache and cookies or clearing the Pinterest app’s cache. This can help resolve issues caused by outdated data.
* **Missing Unpin Option:** If you don’t see the unpin option (the save button, edit icon, or three dots icon), make sure you’re logged in to your own account and that you’re viewing the pin on *your* board, not someone else’s.
* **Mobile App Issues:** If you’re experiencing issues with the Pinterest mobile app, try updating it to the latest version. App updates often include bug fixes and performance improvements.
## Conclusion
Unpinning a pin on Pinterest is a simple yet essential skill for managing your boards and curating your online presence. By following the step-by-step instructions outlined in this guide, you can easily remove unwanted pins and keep your boards organized and relevant. Whether you’re using the Pinterest website on your computer or the mobile app on your smartphone or tablet, the process is straightforward and efficient. Remember to regularly review your boards, unpin outdated content, and take advantage of Pinterest’s various features to create a visually appealing and inspiring collection of pins that reflects your unique interests and passions. Happy pinning (and unpinning)!