How to Leave a Pinterest Board as a Collaborator

Collaborating on a Pinterest group board can be a fantastic way to reach new audiences and curate hyper-specific content, but sometimes a board's purpose runs its course. This guide will walk you through the simple, step-by-step process of how to leave a Pinterest board as a collaborator, whether you're using a desktop or your mobile device.

Why It's Okay to Leave a Pinterest Group Board

You joined a group board a few years ago for a project that's now finished. Or maybe a once-thriving board has become cluttered with off-topic pins and looks more like a digital yard sale than a curated collection. Whatever the reason, regularly auditing the boards you contribute to is a smart part of any successful Pinterest strategy. Staying on boards that are no longer aligned with your brand can dilute your message and confuse your followers.

Here are a few common reasons it might be time to say goodbye:

• The Board is Off-Niche: Your brand has evolved, but the board hasn't. If you're now focused on minimalist home decor, contributing to a "Bright & '80s-Inspired Interiors" board probably isn't serving your audience.
• It's Become Spammy: Some group boards devolve over time. If pins are low-quality, irrelevant, or break Pinterest's guidelines, it's best to distance your profile from it.
• Inactive Engagement: You're pinning great content, but the board itself is a ghost town. No likes, no comments, no re-pins. Your efforts are better spent on boards that provide a return, either through direct engagement or traffic.
• The Project is Over: Many group boards are created for a specific purpose, like planning a marketing campaign, collaborating on a client project, or gathering ideas for an event. Once the project is complete, leaving the board helps keep your profile tidy.
• You're Streamlining Your Content: Marie Kondo-ing your Pinterest profile is a legitimate strategy. Focusing on a smaller number of high-quality, relevant boards helps you and your audience stay focused on your core topics.

A Quick Checklist Before You Officially Leave

Leaving a group board is straightforward, but taking a minute to tie up loose ends can make the process smoother and help you maintain good professional relationships.

1. Let the Board Owner Know (Optional, but a Nice Touch)

This isn't a requirement, but it's a courteous gesture, especially if the board owner personally invited you or you've collaborated closely in the past. A simple message like, "Hey [Name], thanks so much for having me as a collaborator on the [Board Name] board! I'm cleaning up my profile to focus more on [Your Niche], so I'll be leaving the board. All the best!" goes a long way. It prevents misunderstandings and keeps the door open for future collaborations.

2. Review and Save Your Top-Performing Pins

Once you leave, your previously added pins will remain on the board (unless the owner removes them), but you lose access to pin to it again. It's a good moment to see which of your pins performed well on that board. Did a certain style of graphic or topic get a lot of engagement? These are valuable insights for your future content strategy. Save any of those winning pins to your own relevant boards to make sure they're organized within your profile.

3. Remember: Leaving is Final (Unless You're Invited Back)

When you click that "Leave" button, it's a final decision. You can't just request to rejoin later. The only way back onto a group board is if the owner sends you a brand-new invitation. So, before you click "confirm," be certain that decluttering that board from your profile is the right move for your strategy.

How to Leave a Pinterest Board: Desktop Instructions

Cleaning up your collaborative boards from your laptop or desktop computer is a walk in the park. Here's how to do it step by step.

Step 1: Log In and Find the Board

First, log in to your Pinterest account. Go to your profile by clicking your profile picture in the top-right corner. Click on the "Saved" tab to see all of your boards. Scroll through until you find the group board you want to leave. Group boards are identifiable by the multiple profile icons in the bottom-left corner of the board's thumbnail.

Step 2: Access the Board Settings

Open the board. At the top of the page, right next to the board's title, you will see a circle with the profile pictures of the collaborators. Click on this circle of avatars.

Step 3: Find Yourself in the Collaborator List

A window will pop up showing a list of every person who can contribute to the board, starting with the board's owner. Scroll through this list until you find your own name and profile picture.

Step 4: Click 'Leave' and Confirm

Right next to your name, there will be a dropdown menu (usually says "Member"). Or more often, a clear "Leave" button will appear. Click "Leave." Pinterest will ask you to confirm you want to leave, as this action is permanent. Click "Leave" again in the confirmation box.

That's it! The board will immediately disappear from your profile. You're no longer a collaborator.

How to Leave a Pinterest Board: Mobile Instructions

Many social media managers and content creators work exclusively from their phones. Thankfully, leaving a group board using the Pinterest app is just as easy. These steps work for both iOS and Android.

Step 1: Open the App and Navigate to the Board

Open the Pinterest app on your device, and make sure you're logged in. Tap your profile picture on the bottom navigation to go to your profile page. From there, tap the "Saved" tab and scroll down to find the group board you wish to leave.

Step 2: Open the Settings Menu

Tap on the board to open it. In the top-right corner of your screen, you'll see three horizontal dots (...). Tap this icon to get to the board settings menu.

Step 3: Tap "Leave" and Confirm

A menu will slide up from the bottom of the screen. Near the top of this menu, you'll see an option to "Leave." Tap it. Just like on desktop, Pinterest will show a confirmation screen asking if you are sure. Tap "Leave" one last time to finalize the process.

The group board is now removed from your profile.

What Happens When You Leave a Group Board?

So you've successfully departed from a board, here are answers to a few questions you might have.

• Are my pins deleted? No, at least not automatically. All of the pins you've contributed to the board will remain there for all the other collaborators and the public to see. However, the board owner retains the ability to go in and delete them if they choose to do so.
• Will the board owner be notified? Yes. The board owner will receive a notification in their Pinterest inbox stating that you have left the board. Other collaborators will not receive such a notification.
• Can I rejoin? The only way to get back on a board you've left is if the board owner sends you another invitation. There's no button to request to rejoin, so the option will simply not be available after you leave. This is why sending a courteous message before leaving can be helpful to keep the lines of communication open.

Final Thoughts

Leaving a Pinterest group board is a straightforward way to maintain a curated, relevant, and focused profile that accurately reflects your brand. Whether you're cleaning up your profile or simply moving on from a collaboration that has concluded, the steps above will get you done quickly and easily.

Just as curating your Pinterest boards helps refine your brand's message, having a streamlined social media management process is vital. We know how chaotic it can be to manage multiple accounts and platforms, from Pinterest to TikTok and Instagram. That's why we built Postbase, a modern scheduler designed for today's video-first world. It helps consolidate your planning, scheduling, and analytics into one lean dashboard so you can focus on creating great content instead of juggling apps.