How to Schedule Pinterest Pins (Free and With Tools)

The hardest part of Pinterest isn't creating pins — it's showing up consistently. Scheduling solves that. Instead of remembering to pin every day, you batch your work and let pins publish automatically on a steady rhythm. Here's how to schedule Pinterest pins with Pinterest's free built-in tool, when to reach for a dedicated scheduler, and the workflow that keeps it sustainable.

Method 1: Pinterest's free native scheduler

Pinterest has scheduling built right in, and for many creators it's all you need. To schedule a pin:

1. Click Create and then Create Pin.
2. Upload your image or video and fill in the title, description, and destination link.
3. Near the publish button, choose Publish at a later date.
4. Pick your date and time, then confirm.

The catch: the native scheduler lets you schedule up to about two weeks in advance, and you schedule one pin at a time. That's fine for a handful of pins a week, but tedious at higher volume.

Method 2: A dedicated scheduler like Tailwind

Once you're publishing more than a few pins a week, an approved third-party scheduler saves serious time. Tailwind is the best-known Pinterest marketing partner, and tools like it add:

• Bulk uploading — queue dozens of pins at once.
• Interval scheduling — automatically space the same pin across boards over days or weeks.
• Suggested best times — publish when your audience is most active.
• A visual queue — see and rearrange your upcoming pins at a glance.

Most schedulers have a free tier to start, with paid plans as your volume grows. Whatever tool you pick, make sure it's an official Pinterest partner so it plays nicely with the platform.

How often should you pin?

Forget the old "pin 30 times a day" advice. Pinterest now values quality and freshness over sheer volume. A realistic, sustainable target is a handful of fresh pins spread through each day or week. The number matters far less than the consistency — an account that pins a little every day signals reliability better than one that posts fifty pins and vanishes.

When are the best times to pin?

General wisdom points to evenings and weekends, when people browse for ideas — but the honest answer is that it depends on your audience. Check your Pinterest Analytics to see when your followers are active, or let a scheduler's best-time feature decide. Test, watch the data, and adjust. Don't over-optimize timing at the expense of simply publishing consistently.

Plan seasonal content early

Pinterest users plan ahead, so your content should too. Schedule seasonal and holiday pins roughly 30–45 days before the event — people search for holiday ideas weeks in advance. A scheduler makes this painless: set your Christmas pins in October and forget about them.

A simple weekly scheduling workflow

1. Batch-create a week's worth of fresh pin designs in one sitting (Canva makes this fast).
2. Write keyword-rich titles and descriptions for each — see our Pinterest SEO guide for how.
3. Load them into your scheduler and space them across the week.
4. Review analytics weekly and make more of what performs.

Batching like this turns Pinterest from a daily chore into a 60-minute weekly task.

Scheduling mistakes to avoid

• Blasting the same pin to many boards in minutes — space repeats out over days.
• Scheduling stale content — prioritize fresh pin designs over recycled ones.
• Setting and forgetting — still check analytics and adjust your cadence.
• Chasing volume over quality — a few great pins beat a flood of weak ones.

The bottom line

Scheduling is how consistent pinning becomes realistic. Start with Pinterest's free scheduler, move to a tool like Tailwind when your volume grows, batch your work weekly, and plan seasonal content a month ahead. Pair this with solidPinterest SEO and a clearmarketing strategy, and you've got a system that runs itself.