Pinterest is a weird beast. Most people treat it like a search engine for sourdough recipes or mid-century modern living rooms, but at its core, it still tries to be a social network. Sorta. The problem is that finding people on Pinterest isn’t always as intuitive as typing a name into Instagram or Facebook. You’ve probably noticed that the search bar defaults to showing you "Pins" or "Shop" items rather than actual human beings. It’s frustrating.
Honestly, the platform is designed to keep you looking at content, not necessarily the creators behind it. But if you’re trying to track down a specific DIY influencer or see what your best friend is secretly pinning to their "Dream Wedding" board, you need a strategy. You can't just wing it.
The Search Bar Trap
When you first try to figure out how to find people on Pinterest, your instinct is to hit that magnifying glass and type a name. Simple, right? Wrong.
By default, Pinterest wants to show you ideas. If you type "Jane Doe," you’re going to get pins about Jane Doe, or maybe pins by people named Jane, or honestly, just random junk. To actually find a profile, you have to use the filter toggle. On mobile, this usually appears as a small icon on the right side of the search bar after you’ve hit enter. On a desktop, there’s a dropdown menu next to the search bar that says "All Pins." Click that. Change it to "Profiles."
Suddenly, the world opens up.
But here is the kicker: people don't always use their real names. Pinterest is a playground for pseudonyms and brand names. If your friend Sarah is using the handle "GlitterAndGrit99," searching for "Sarah Miller" won't do you a lick of good. You need the exact username or the specific brand name they’ve tied to their account.
Syncing Your Contacts (The Easy Way)
If you’re lazy—and look, we all are sometimes—the easiest way to find your real-life friends is to let Pinterest do the heavy lifting. You can sync your phone’s contact list or your Facebook account.
Go to your profile, hit the hex icon for settings, and look for "Account Management" or "Privacy and Data." There's usually a toggle to "Social Networks" or "Contacts." Once you enable this, Pinterest scans your contacts and shows you who already has an account. It’s a bit invasive for some, but it beats manual searching any day. Just remember that if your friends haven't linked their phone numbers or Facebook to Pinterest, they still won't show up.
Finding People via Social Media Cross-Pollination
Most creators don't just live on Pinterest. They are everywhere.
If you're trying to find a specific influencer, check their Instagram bio or their "About" page on their blog. Usually, they’ll have a direct link. If they don't, try a "reverse" search. Find a pin you know they created, click on it, and then click on the profile image or the "Follow" button next to their name.
Sometimes you find people by accident through "Group Boards." These are collaborative spaces where multiple users pin to the same board. If you find a board you love, look at the list of contributors at the top. This is a goldmine for finding people with similar tastes who aren't necessarily "big" enough to show up at the top of a general search.
Using Google to Outsmart Pinterest
Sometimes Pinterest’s internal search is just... bad. It happens. When the native app fails you, use Google.
Type site:pinterest.com "Person's Name" into the Google search bar. Google’s indexing is often more robust than Pinterest’s own internal algorithm. This trick is especially helpful if you only remember a partial name or a specific board title they mentioned. For example, searching site:pinterest.com "Jane Doe" "Living Room Ideas" will likely lead you straight to their profile if that board exists.
The Secret of the QR Code (Pincodes)
Believe it or not, Pinterest has its own version of QR codes called Pincodes. You don't see them much in the wild anymore, but they are still a thing. If you’re at a physical event or looking at a magazine, you might see a circular code with the Pinterest logo.
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Open the Pinterest app, tap the search bar, and select the camera icon. Point it at the Pincode. It will instantly take you to that person's profile or a specific board. It’s niche, sure, but it’s the fastest way to bridge the gap between the physical world and your digital boards.
Following and Unfollowing Etiquette
Once you've figured out how to find people on Pinterest, what do you do next?
Following someone isn't as high-stakes as it is on TikTok. It doesn't mean you'll see every single thing they pin. Pinterest’s algorithm still prioritizes "relevance" over chronology. However, following people tells the algorithm what you like. If you follow ten different minimalist architects, your home feed is going to become a concrete and glass wonderland.
Don't be afraid to unfollow. If a creator shifts from "cool woodworking" to "extreme couponing" and it’s not your vibe, cut them loose. Your Pinterest feed is your digital sanctuary. Keep it clean.
Why Some People Stay Hidden
You might do everything right and still find nothing. Why? Privacy settings.
Pinterest allows users to hide their profiles from search engines. If someone has toggled the "Search Privacy" setting to "On," they won't show up in Google searches. They might not even show up in Pinterest's internal search unless you have their direct URL.
There are also "Secret Boards." If your friend has a secret board, you will never see it, even if you follow them. These are private by design. If you're looking for someone specifically to see a certain project they mentioned, and you can't find it on their public profile, it's probably tucked away in a secret board. You'd have to ask them to invite you as a collaborator to see that content.
Breaking Down the Desktop vs. Mobile Experience
The interface changes constantly. It's annoying.
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On a desktop, you have more screen real estate to filter your results. The "Profiles" tab is usually prominent. On mobile, the app tries to be "streamlined," which often just means "hiding the buttons you actually need."
If you're on the mobile app:
- Tap the search icon (magnifying glass) at the bottom.
- Type the name in the top bar.
- Look for the "filter" icon on the right side of that search bar.
- Select "Profiles" from the list of options that slides up from the bottom.
If you don't do step 4, you'll just keep scrolling through an endless sea of images.
Why Finding "Niche" People Matters
Pinterest is less about "following your friends" and more about "following your interests."
The real value in finding people on the platform isn't necessarily seeing what your high school roommate is up to. It's finding that one person in Norway who has the exact same obsession with 1970s Icelandic knitwear as you do. When you find these niche "curators," your own inspiration skyrockets.
Expert curators spend hours vetting pins. By finding them, you’re essentially letting them do the filtering for you. Instead of searching "blue kitchen" and getting 5,000 mediocre results, you find the one designer who only pins the best blue kitchens. That’s the real power move.
Moving Forward With Your Search
Finding people on Pinterest requires a bit of detective work compared to other platforms. It’s not a "one-click" deal most of the time. You have to navigate filters, deal with nicknames, and sometimes use external search engines to get the job done.
Start by checking your synced contacts to see who you already know. If that fails, move to the manual search bar but always remember to switch the filter from "All Pins" to "Profiles." If you're still coming up empty, try the Google site:pinterest.com trick.
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Once you find the right people, look at who they follow. This is the fastest way to build a high-quality feed. Digital curation is a rabbit hole, and the best way to explore it is by following the trails left by people who have better taste than you.
Check your privacy settings first to make sure you’re even "findable" yourself if you want to be. Then, start filtering those search results to move past the pins and get to the people. Tighten up your "Following" list every few months to keep the algorithm focused on what actually inspires you today, not what you were into three years ago.