Pinterest today (Nov. 8) updated its mobile apps and website to add the ability to create hidden boards, a feature that users had been requesting for quite some time.
The timing of the launch is perfect for the upcoming holiday season. Users can now keep their party plans and gift ideas a secret. However, pinners are limited to three Secret Boards.
On the Pinterest mobile apps for iPhone, iPad and Android, go to your profile and scroll to the bottom of your page. You'll see three dashed squares labeled "Create a Secret Board." Tap and get started as usual — name your board, provide a brief description and assign a category such as DIY & Crafts — making sure "Secret" is on.
You can keep your Secret Boards to yourself or invite family and friends to pin with you, but these boards and every photo you pin to them will not be visible to other Pinterest users. Secret Boards can be created in the same way on Pinterest's website.
In addition to the number of Secret Boards users can make at this time, there is one more limitation.
"Right now, you can’t make existing boards secret because others people may have already repinned from your board," Evrhet Milam, a Pinterest engineer noted in today's blog post.
If you want to make more than three Secret Boards, you're out of luck. You must make one of your Secret Boards visible before you can add another. Go to "Edit Board" and look for the Secret on-off switch.