Our age is 13. Caution because of body image content and no built-in time limits.
Setup steps checked October 2026.
- Our rating
- Caution
- Plays on
- iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, Mac
Configure Pinterest privacy and safety settings for teens, manage who can message, control board privacy, and understand the platform's unique risks.
Talk about it
- Can you show me a few of your favorite boards?A low-pressure way to see what they're into, and boards say a lot about what's on their mind.
- Do the outfit or fitness pins you see ever make you feel worse about yourself?Opens a gentle talk about body image before it becomes a problem.
- Has anyone you don't know messaged you or asked to follow you?Checks that messaging and follower settings are doing their job.
- Have you tried a DIY or life hack from Pinterest that seemed risky?Gets them thinking critically about pins that look easy but aren't safe.
The full guide
Pinterest is an image-based discovery platform where users collect and share visual ideas on digital "boards." It's popular among teens for fashion, DIY projects, recipes, and creative inspiration. While generally lower-risk than other social platforms, Pinterest has specific safety settings worth configuring.
Understanding Pinterest
How Pinterest Works
Pinterest is organized around "Pins" (images or videos) saved to "Boards" (collections). Users:
- Follow other users and boards
- Save pins from the web or the platform
- Create boards organized by theme
- Discover new content through a personalized home feed
- Message other users directly
Why Teens Use It
- Fashion inspiration and outfit planning
- DIY and craft projects
- Study organization and school inspiration
- Recipe discovery
- Creative and aesthetic curation
- Vision boards and goal-setting
Key Concerns
- Body image: Fashion and fitness content may promote unrealistic standards
- Dangerous DIY: Some DIY and "life hack" pins can be unsafe
- Messaging: Older teens can get messages from people they don't know if settings are loosened
- Eating disorder content: Despite policies, some content slips through
- Public profiles: 16- and 17-year-olds can choose to make their profile public
Privacy Settings
Account Visibility
Teen profiles (under 18) aren't discoverable and their activity is hidden by default. Check that the profile is still private, and that search privacy keeps it out of search engines.
Make Boards Private
For under-16s, boards and Pins are only visible to them and people they've invited to follow them. Older teens with a public profile can still keep individual boards private:
Toggle "Secret" ON for any board your teen wants to keep private. Secret boards are only visible to the board's owner and invited collaborators.
Review your teen's existing boards together. Personal boards (fashion, diary-style vision boards) should be set to Secret. Hobby boards can stay public if they're comfortable with it.
Personalized Content
Turn off personalization based on:
- Sites and apps visited
- Partner data
This limits the degree to which the algorithm can build a detailed profile of your teen's interests and behaviors.
Messaging Controls
Who Can Message Your Teen
Accounts under 16 can only exchange messages with mutual followers, and only people they follow who follow them back can add them to group chats. Settings loosen as teens get older.
For 16- and 17-year-olds, limit messages to people they follow, or stop messages from being delivered. Teens can always make these settings stricter.
Existing Message Requests
Review any pending message requests and decline or block appropriately.
Content Safety
Report Inappropriate Pins
Categories include:
- Spam
- Self-harm
- Misinformation
- Hate speech
- Graphic violence
Block Accounts
Blocking prevents a user from seeing your teen's profile, pins, or messaging them.
Reporting Self-Harm Content
Pinterest has specific policies against content promoting self-harm, eating disorders, and suicide. These are taken seriously. If your teen encounters this content, report it immediately.
Pinterest's fashion, fitness, and "thinspiration"-adjacent content can negatively affect body image, particularly in girls ages 12–16. Periodic check-ins about what your teen is pinning can reveal concerning patterns worth discussing.
Pinterest for Teen Accounts
Automatic Teen Protections
Pinterest applies restrictions to teen accounts automatically, based on the birthdate entered at signup:
- Accounts under 18 aren't discoverable, and their activity is hidden
- Accounts for ages 13-15 are private-only — they cannot be made public at all; 16- and 17-year-olds start private but can choose public
- Teens invite the people they trust to follow them
- Under-16s can only message mutual followers
- Comments are off on Pins they create until they turn 18 (they can change this)
Parental Passcode
For any account under 18, a parent can set a 4-digit passcode that locks changes to account management, privacy and data, and social permissions settings, so a teen can't quietly loosen them. Set this up together from the teen's account settings (Settings > Account management).
Accurate Birthday Entry
If your teen created an account with a false birthdate to access more content, this bypasses age-appropriate restrictions. Encourage honest age entry.
Screen Time Considerations
No Built-in Limits
Pinterest doesn't include viewing time limits. Use:
- iOS Screen Time (App Limits for Social Networking category)
- Android Family Link (app timers)
Pinterest can be surprisingly absorptive — an hour can pass unnoticed. Setting a daily limit is worthwhile.
Two-Factor Authentication
Secure the Account
Enable 2FA to protect against account compromise.
Age-Based Recommendations
Ages 13–14
- All boards set to Secret
- Messages limited to mutual followers (or off)
- Profile hidden from search engines
- Reviewed together during setup
- Body image conversation proactively had
Ages 15–16
- Personal boards Secret
- Messages restricted to followers
- Periodic board review
- Conversation about what they're collecting and why
Ages 17+
- Trust-based settings
- Open door policy
- Profile privacy discussed
Quick Setup Checklist
Additional Resources
Pinterest is now configured with private boards, restricted messaging, and hidden profile visibility. With these settings in place and ongoing conversation about content, Pinterest can be a positive creative outlet for teens.