Pinterest API can create ad-only Pins and an ad-only board

AnnouncedApr 2025

EffectiveNot stated

PlatformPinterest

What changed

Pinterest's changelog lists Parameter for creating ad-only Pins in April 2025 and Ad-only board creation in June 2025, both under ads. The Create boards and Pins guide says an ad-only Pin is saved to a protected Ad-only Pins board, does not appear on the public profile and cannot be saved by other Pinners. Pinterest's OpenAPI spec adds is_ads_only for boards and is_removable for Pin creation in v5.16.0 (July 16, 2025); is_ads_only is still there in v5.28.0, but is_removable is gone from Pin creation from v5.18.0 (August 14, 2025) although the guide still documents it. The changelog entry texts were not readable, so the launch days are not stated.

What it means

Apps can create Pins meant only for ads, which stay off the public profile and can't be saved by other Pinners, by saving them to a protected Ad-only Pins board that the API can now create.

Who is affected

Tools that create Pins to promote later as ads, and agencies that prepare ad creative for clients without posting it to the profile.

What to do

Optional. Create the ad-only board with is_ads_only set to true on boards/create, then pass its board_id on pins/create. The is_removable shortcut is in the guide but no longer in Pinterest's API spec, so test it before relying on it.

What this means for you

Some Pins are made only to run as ads. You may not want them on your profile, where your followers see them. Since spring 2025, apps can create these "ad-only" Pins for you. They go into a hidden board called "Ad-only Pins" and other people can't save them. Normal Pins you schedule are not affected.

The details

The rule: the guide says "To make a Pin ad-only, save it to a protected Ad-only Pins board when creating or updating it." The Pin then does not appear on your public profile and can't be saved or distributed organically.
Ad-only board: POST /v5/boards with "is_ads_only": true. The spec says the board name becomes "Ad-only Pins" and its privacy becomes PROTECTED. The v5.16.0 spec adds that only one ad-only board can be created per client ID, and another create call reuses the existing board. is_ads_only is still in v5.28.0 (June 4, 2026).
Ad-only Pin shortcut: the guide documents "is_removable": true on POST /v5/pins, which adds the Pin to the Ad-only Pins board without a board_id. In the spec, PinCreate has is_removable ("Used to create ad-only Pins") only in v5.16.0 and v5.17.0; it is absent from v5.18.0 on. Whether the API still accepts it was not confirmed.
Business accounts: pass ad_account_id to create the Pin for an ad account you own or have shared access to.
Response fields to watch: has_been_promoted (false until an ad uses the Pin), board_id (the Ad-only Pins board) and id, which you pass when creating the ad.

What to do next

Business owners: Nothing, unless you want ad creative kept off your profile: ask your tool whether it supports ad-only Pins.
Marketers and agencies: Use ad-only Pins for ad variations you don't want followers to see.
Developers: Create the ad-only board once, store its board_id and save ad-only Pins to it; never use that board for scheduled organic Pins.

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