Private & Secret Boards
How to Download Private and Secret Pinterest Boards
Most Pinterest downloaders only see public boards. Here's how to save your own private and secret boards, every image, GIF and video, without switching them to public first.
Why private boards are harder to download
A secret board only shows up for you (and anyone you've invited) while you're signed in to Pinterest. Tools that work from the outside, like most downloader websites, can't see it at all. The usual workaround is to switch the board to public, download it, and switch it back, which isn't great for a board you kept secret on purpose.
PinBoard takes the direct route. You sign in to Pinterest inside the app, and PinBoard then loads your private boards the same way your browser does.
How to download a private Pinterest board
Download PinBoard, then get Pro and paste your license key in Settings. Pro unlocks right away.
Pinterest's real login page opens in a window inside the app. Sign in the way you normally would. Two-factor codes and captchas work as usual.
Open the board on Pinterest in your browser and copy the address, something like
pinterest.com/yourname/secret-wedding-ideas. Paste it into PinBoard and click
Load Board.
Pick images, GIFs or videos, or click Everything. Files are saved to a folder on your computer at full resolution.
What you can and can't download
- Your own secret boards: yes.
- Private boards someone shared with you: if you can open the board in your own account, PinBoard can load it.
- A single section of a private board: yes, paste the section's link. See downloading board sections.
- Someone else's private board you don't have access to: no. PinBoard only sees what your account can see.
Keep a backup, not just a download
Secret boards are often the ones people care about most: wedding plans, client mood boards, personal collections. If your account were ever locked, they'd be the hardest to recover. A local copy fixes that. Our backup guide shows how to keep that copy up to date, and why Pinterest's own data export isn't a real backup of your images.
If something doesn't load
- "Board not found": check the link opens for you in your browser while signed in to the same account.
- It worked before but stopped: Pinterest sessions expire now and then. Click Sign in to Pinterest again.
- It asks you to upgrade: private boards are part of Pro. Free users can still download the first 100 images of public boards.
Frequently Asked Questions
Save your private boards
Sign in once, then download your secret boards like any other board. Everything stays on your computer.
Download PinBoard for Free