Quick answer
Images: use JPEG, PNG, WEBP, BMP or TIFF, under 20 MB on the web. Videos: use MP4 or M4V on the web (the apps also take MOV), encoded as H.264 or H.265, between 4 seconds and 5 minutes. Keep the title to 100 characters and the description to 500. Still failing? Try the other platform (app vs web) and a different network.
Does this match what you see?
- Pinterest rejects your image or video.
- A video upload fails or never finishes.
- Your title or description is cut off.
Computer (browser)iPhone & iPadAndroid
Based on Pinterest Help Center’s “Review Pin specs” page (which covers organic Pins and ads; this guide uses the organic Pin values), read on November 7, 2026. Pinterest’s help pages for general app troubleshooting couldn’t be read, so the last section is our own general advice, labeled.
Why this happens: the possible causes
Pinterest’s specs for organic image and video Pins.
| Image Pins | Video Pins | |
|---|---|---|
| File types | BMP, JPEG, PNG, TIFF, WEBP | Web: MP4, M4V. Apps: MP4, MOV, M4V |
| Size | Web: 20 MB max. Apps: up to 1 GB recommended | Not stated |
| Encoding | — | H.264 or H.265 |
| Length | — | 4 seconds to 5 minutes |
| Shape | Not stated | 9:16 (1080×1920) recommended for full screen; also 1:2, 2:3, 3:4, 4:5, 1:1 |
- Unsupported file typeCheck this first
For example, a MOV video uploaded on the web, where Pinterest lists only MP4 and M4V.
- File too bigCheck this first
Pinterest lists a 20 MB maximum for images on the web.
- Video too short or too longPossible
Pinterest lists 4 seconds to 5 minutes.
- Unsupported encodingPossible
Pinterest lists H.264 or H.265.
Try these 60-second checks first
- Check the file’s type, size and length.
- Try uploading from the other platform: the app or pinterest.com.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and only move to steps that sign you out or remove data later.
Fix 1: Make the file match Pinterest’s specs
Files outside Pinterest’s listed specs may be rejected.
- Compare your file with the specs table above.
- Image too big? Export it as a JPEG or PNG under 20 MB.
- Video? Export as MP4 with H.264 encoding, between 4 seconds and 5 minutes. On the web, convert MOV files to MP4, or upload from the app, which accepts MOV.
- Upload again.
Did it work? The Pin uploads and publishes.
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Text limits
- Title: up to 100 characters.
- Textbox: up to 250 characters.
- Description: up to 500 characters. Pinterest says descriptions don’t appear in the home feed or search feed, but help it decide who sees the Pin, so it recommends adding one.
Keep text inside the safe zones
Pinterest recommends keeping text and key elements away from the edges, where buttons can cover them: 270 px from the top, 65 px from the left, 195 px from the right and 790 px from the bottom. This won’t stop an upload, but it keeps your Pin readable.
Bulk upload (.csv or .txt) not working
With a business account, Pinterest’s bulk creation tool takes up to 200 images or videos from a .csv file. In the US, you can also bulk upload video Pins from a .txt file (up to 200 videos a day). Pinterest says bulk upload is desktop only; it’s not in the iPhone or Android app. On the web: open your menu (chevron, top right) > Settings > Import content > Upload next to “Upload .csv or .txt file”, then drag in your file. Pinterest emails you a confirmation and may contact you if something needs reformatting. Start from Pinterest’s sample spreadsheet (external site, opens in a new tab).
Pinterest’s Import content page (desktop only) also lets you auto-publish from Instagram or an RSS feed, add a product catalog, or install Pinterest for Shopify or WooCommerce.
| Column | Rules |
|---|---|
| Title (required) | 100 characters maximum |
| Media URL (required) | A public link to the file itself, usually ending in MP4, PNG or JPEG |
| Pinterest board (required) | Board name, with a section after a slash (Summer Eats/Appetizers). Missing boards or sections are created |
| Thumbnail (video only) | A time (mm:ss), seconds, or a public image URL with the same aspect ratio as the video. Leave blank for images |
| Description | 500 characters maximum |
| Link | Where the Pin goes when clicked |
| Publish date | Future date schedules it (e.g. 2023-12-17, or 2023-12-17T08:00:00 in UTC for a set time). Blank publishes now |
| Keywords | Comma-separated search terms |
Common reasons Pins don’t appear:
- Badly formatted publish date: Pinterest says you’ll get an error and the Pin won’t publish.
- Media URL isn’t public, or links to a web page rather than the file itself.
- Video thumbnail image has a different aspect ratio from the video.
- Pins scheduled at an odd time: without a time, Pinterest publishes at the same time of day you uploaded the file; add a UTC time to control it.
- .txt video uploads: each Pin needs a line break between them, a date (yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss), a link and Who can view set to everyone. Pinterest says anything else creates no Pin.
- No video Pins at all? Video Pins aren’t available to business accounts in every region; Pinterest shows a notice if yours isn’t covered.
Scheduled Pins: limits and problems
Business accounts can schedule standard Pins. On the web: select Create > Create Pin, add your image or video and details, choose Publish at a later date, pick the day and time, and finish creating the Pin.
iPhone and Android app: tap the plus icon > Pin, choose your images or videos and tap Next (edit if needed and tap Next), fill in the details, tap the arrow (or pencil on iPhone) next to Schedule date (or Schedule publish date), pick the date and time, tap Done, then Schedule twice to confirm.
Pinterest’s limits:
- Up to 30 days in advance.
- One Pin at a time, with up to 10 Pins scheduled at once. Can’t schedule more? Wait for some to publish, or delete one.
- After scheduling, you can change the publish date, title, board, description and link, but not the image or video. To change those, delete it and schedule a new Pin.
- Not showing on your profile? Pinterest says scheduled Pins appear above your published Pins, and it can take a few minutes for them to show.
- Delete one: on your profile, select the ellipsis at the bottom of the scheduled Pin > Delete.
- Our note: on the web, choosing several images creates separate Pins; to combine images and videos into one video Pin, Pinterest says use the app.
RSS auto-publish not creating Pins
A business account with a claimed website can connect RSS feeds to create Pins automatically. On the web: menu (chevron, top right) > Settings > Import content (some Pinterest pages call it Create Pins in bulk) > Connect RSS feed, paste the feed URL, choose a board and click Save. Pinterest says the option only appears once your website is claimed, and connecting a feed is desktop only.
- Timing: new feed content becomes Pins within 24 hours, oldest first, up to 200 Pins a day.
- Format: RSS 2.x or RSS 1.x (RDF) in XML. Pinterest says Atom isn’t supported.
- Images: taken from the <image>, <enclosure> and <media:content> tags in each <item>. Title and description come from <title> and <description>.
- Links: every <item> needs a link to your claimed domain.
- Can’t see the Pins? If the feed saves to a private (secret) board, Pinterest says nobody else will see them.
| Error message | What to do |
|---|---|
| RSS feed already exists | Add a different feed |
| RSS feed cannot be fetched | Make sure the feed URL opens |
| RSS feed cannot be parsed | Check it’s a valid RSS feed in XML format |
| RSS feed unknown format | Use RSS 2.x or RSS 1.x (not Atom) |
| Links in the RSS feed are not under the claimed domain | Make every link in the feed match your claimed domain |
The file is fine but it still won’t upload
Start with Pinterest’s general troubleshooting steps. Then our general advice:
- Update the Pinterest app, or try a different browser on the web.
- Try a stronger connection; large videos need a stable network.
- Rename the file without special characters, and try a smaller test file to see if uploads work at all.
- Still stuck? Use Contact us in Pinterest’s Help Center.
How to know it worked
- Your Pin uploads and shows on your profile.
Still not working? Your next steps
- Text won’t fit? Check it against every app’s limit with our Character Counter.
- Not sure your file is within the limits? Check it with our Upload Checker, which reads the size, format, length and dimensions on your device.
- Can’t log in to post? See can’t log in to Pinterest.
Official help routes
SocialAppFix can’t see or change your account. For account decisions, recovery and appeals, only the platform’s own tools can help. These links go to the official sites.
- Pinterest Help: Review Pin specsPinterest Help Center (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Pinterest Help: Bulk upload PinsPinterest (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Pinterest Help: Schedule PinsPinterest (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Pinterest Help: Auto-publish Pins from your RSS feedPinterest (external site, opens in a new tab)
Frequently asked questions
What video formats does Pinterest accept?
Pinterest lists MP4 and M4V on the web, and MP4, MOV and M4V in the apps, encoded as H.264 or H.265.
How long can a Pinterest video be?
Pinterest lists 4 seconds to 5 minutes.
What is the Pinterest image size limit?
Pinterest lists 20 MB maximum on the web.
Why didn’t my Pinterest bulk upload publish?
Common causes: a badly formatted publish date (Pinterest says the Pin won’t publish), a media URL that isn’t a public link to the file, or a video thumbnail with the wrong aspect ratio.
How many Pins can I bulk upload on Pinterest?
Pinterest says up to 200 images or videos with a .csv file on a business account.
Why is my RSS feed not creating Pins on Pinterest?
Pinterest says new content can take up to 24 hours, at up to 200 Pins a day, oldest first. The feed must be RSS (not Atom) in XML, and every item must link to your claimed domain.
How many Pins can I schedule on Pinterest?
Pinterest says up to 10 scheduled at once, up to 30 days ahead, with a business account.
How many characters can a Pinterest title have?
Pinterest lists 100 characters for titles and 500 for descriptions.
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Sources and how we checked this guide
We base steps on the platforms’ own help pages and the phone makers’ official guides. Menu names change often and can differ by device, app version and region. Where a platform page could not be independently read, we link it so you can check the current wording yourself.
- Review Pin specs (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Bulk upload Pins (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Auto-publish Pins from your RSS feed (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Schedule Pins (external site, opens in a new tab)
- Import content to Pinterest (external site, opens in a new tab)
Last reviewed 7 November 2026 by the SocialAppFix editorial team against the sources above. Next scheduled review: 7 May 2027. Editor: Michael Michael. How we write and review guides.
What changed
- 13 November 2026: Pin text limits worded as Pinterest gives them (up to 100, 250 and 500 characters).
- 11 November 2026: Linked the new Upload Checker.
- 7 November 2026: First published.
- 7 November 2026: Added: bulk upload (.csv and .txt).
- 7 November 2026: Added: RSS auto-publish and error messages.
SocialAppFix is an independent guide and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Pinterest. We never ask for passwords, login codes or payment to fix an account.