How to Add Pictures to a Pinterest Board

Adding pictures to a Pinterest board is the first step toward creating an inspirational visual library for your brand, hobby, or personal interests. Whether you're uploading your own original content from a computer, saving an idea from a website, or pinning on the go from your phone, the process is simple once you know the right steps. This guide will walk you through every method for adding images, making you a Pinterest pro in no time.

The Basics: Uploading a Picture Directly to Pinterest

The most straightforward way to add a picture to a board is by creating a new “Pin” directly on Pinterest. This is perfect for when you have original photos, custom graphics, or other images saved on your computer that you want to share.

Here's how to do it step-by-step from your desktop:

1. Log into your Pinterest account. Navigate to Pinterest.com and log in.
2. Start the creation process. In the top-left corner of your screen, you’ll see a Create dropdown menu. Click it, then select Create Pin.
3. Upload your image. You'll be taken to the Pin builder. On the left side, you'll see a large area that says "Drag and drop or click to upload." Click this area to open your computer’s file browser and select the image you want to upload. You can also drag the image file directly from a folder onto this spot.
4. Fill in the details. This is where you give your Pin context and help others find it.
   • Choose a board: At the top right, use the dropdown menu to select the board where you want your picture to live. Your chosen board should be relevant to the image content.
   • Add a title: Give your Pin a clear, compelling title. Think about what people might search for. Instead of "Image123," try something like "Easy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe."
   • Write a description: Use this space to add more detail. Explain what the image is about, what makes it useful, or what story it tells. Include relevant keywords naturally to improve its visibility in search results. For example: "The best soft and chewy vegan chocolate chip cookie recipe. Made with simple pantry ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes. Perfect for dessert!"
   • Add a destination link: If your image is meant to drive traffic back to your blog, product page, or portfolio, paste the corresponding URL here. When users click your Pin, they’ll be taken to this link.
   • Add Alt Text: Click Add alt text to describe the image for visually impaired users and search engines. Be descriptive: "A close-up shot of a stack of golden brown chocolate chip cookies on a white plate."
5. Publish your Pin. Once you’re happy with all the details, hit the red Publish button in the top right. Your picture is now live on your selected board!

Pinning From a Website Using the Pinterest Browser Button

One of the most popular ways to use Pinterest is to save inspiring images you discover while browsing the web. The official Pinterest browser button (or extension) makes this incredibly easy. It allows you to grab photos from virtually any website and save them directly to your boards without ever leaving the page.

Installing the Browser Button

First, you need to add the extension to your web browser. Go to the official Pinterest Browser Button page and follow the prompts to install it for Chrome, Firefox, or Microsoft Edge. Once installed, you’ll see a small red Pinterest "P" icon in your browser's toolbar.

How to Pin with the Extension

Now that it’s installed, here’s how to use it:

1. Find an image you want to save. Browse the internet as you normally would. When you’re on a blog post, online store, or portfolio with images you'd like to Pin, get ready to use the button.
2. Activate the button. You have two options:
   • Click the Pinterest icon in your browser's toolbar. This will scan the entire page and show you all the images available for Pinning in an overlay grid.
   • Hover your mouse directly over the image you want to Pin. A small Pinterest Save button will appear on the image itself.
3. Select your image. If you clicked the toolbar icon, now you get to choose which image (or images) from the page you want to Pin. If you clicked the "Save" button on a specific image, that one will be pre-selected for you.
4. Choose your board and edit the description. A new window will pop up. At the top, you'll see a preview of the image.
   • Click Choose a board and select where you'd like to save it. Pinterest will often suggest your most relevant boards.
   • The description will often be auto-filled from the website’s data. This is your chance to edit it! Rewrite it to be more useful, add your own thoughts, and include keywords that make sense for how you think about the Pin.
5. Click Save. That's it! The picture is now added to your board, complete with a link back to the original source web page.

Adding Pictures From Your Mobile Phone

Most Pinterest users browse from their mobile devices, and the app makes it easy to add pictures directly from your phone’s photo library. This is great for a brand manager taking behind-the-scenes photos or a hobbyist Pinner cataloging their latest project.

Here's the simple process:

1. Open the Pinterest App. Make sure you're logged into your account.
2. Tap the plus (+) icon. This is located at the bottom center of your screen. A menu will pop up with options like "Pin," "Collage," and "Board."
3. Select Pin. This will open up your phone’s camera roll.
4. Choose your photo(s). Tap on the picture you want to upload. You can select multiple photos to create a multi-image Pin if you’d like. Tap Next when you’re ready.
5. Fill in the Pin details. This screen is similar to the desktop version. You'll be prompted to:
   • Add a title. Make it catchy and descriptive.
   • Add a description. Add context and keywords.
   • Add a destination link. (Optional but highly recommended for creators and businesses).
   • Add alt text. Tap Alt text to describe the visual content of the image.
   You can also add stickers, text, and music if you turn your image into an Idea Pin. For a standard picture Pin, just fill out the core details and tap Next.
6. Choose a Board. The final step is to select which board you want to save the picture to. Pinterest will show your recent boards first, or you can search for a different one.

Your photo is now live on your Pinterest board, all from the palm of your hand.

Repinning: Saving Pins From Other Users

Pinterest is fundamentally a discovery platform. A huge part of using it involves curating content created by others. "Repinning" - saving someone else's Pin to one of your own boards - is how you build your collections and share great ideas with your followers.

The process couldn't be simpler:

1. Find a Pin you love. Scroll through your home feed, browse a search result, or look through someone’s board.
2. Click the "Save" button. On desktop, when you hover over a Pin, a red Save button and a board selector will appear. On mobile, the Save button is located in the bottom-right of the Pin.
3. Choose your board. Simply click on the name of the board where you want the Pin to go. If the ideal board doesn’t exist yet, you can click Create board at the bottom of the list to make a new one on the fly.

That's all there is to it. The Pin, along with its original link and description, is now also part of your collection. It’s a win-win: you get great content for your board, and the original creator gets more exposure.

Essential Tips for Creating High-Quality Pins

Just adding pictures isn’t enough, you want to add pictures that get noticed, saved, and clicked. Here are a few final tips for optimizing every Pin you create.

• Use High-Resolution, Vertical Images. Pinterest is a vertical platform. Images with a 2:3 aspect ratio (like 1000 x 1500 pixels) perform best because they take up more screen space and are more visually striking. Always use clear, high-quality photos.
• Write Keyword-Rich Descriptions. Pinterest is a visual search engine. Think about the words and phrases a user would type into the search bar to find your content and incorporate them naturally into your Pin's title and description.
• Add Text Overlays to Your Images. Many of the most successful Pins have a short, bold text overlay right on the image. For a blog post, this might be the headline. For a product, it could be a key feature. This makes the Pin's value immediately clear as people scroll.
• Always Include a Link (When Applicable). Don't miss an opportunity to drive traffic. If your Pin relates to larger content on your website - a recipe, a DIY tutorial, a product, or a guide - make sure you've added the URL in the destination link field.

Final Thoughts

From uploading original graphics on your computer to saving an article with the browser button or sharing a quick snap from your phone, adding pictures to Pinterest is a flexible and intuitive process. By mastering these different methods and optimizing your Pins with clear titles and descriptions, you can build beautiful boards that inspire both you and your audience.

Building a consistent presence on Pinterest is powerful, but it's often part of a larger content strategy that includes platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Juggling all of that can get complicated fast. At Postbase, we streamlined this process with a simple visual calendar that helps you plan and schedule all your social media content - across every platform - in one place. Instead of jumping between apps, you can get a bird's-eye view of your entire strategy and stay organized without the stress.