New Pinterest filter lets you search old pins

Search feature is currently being rolling out onto the web, will also be brought to mobile soon

Confession time: despite hearing so much about it over the last year or so, I have never gotten around to using Pinterest. So, I admit that I was a little shocked to learn that the social network did not allow its users to search for their old pins. I mean, it just seems like a pretty obvious feature for the site to have, doesn't it? Like, what's the point of pinning things if you can't go and easily find them again? 

I really can't believe that it took Pinterest until now to debut it, but the site announced Tuesday that it was finally adding a new his type of filter, one that that users can use to find and rediscover their old pins.

And the execution is as simple as the idea: all a user has to do is type a word into the search bar and filter their results by clicking “Just my pins." And, just like that, Pinterest will display all of the users pins that match that description.

Like I said, simple stuff, and probably a feature that should have been added a long time ago.

While this is obviously a useful feature for all Pinterest users, it also has more practical applications than just being able to find the stuff a user liked at one point; it can also be used to find pins that they might have a need to find later, such as a recipe they liked or instructions for how to build or create something.

"For example, if you’re getting ready to cook dinner, you can now easily find that recipe you’ve been meaning to make. Or you may have free time for weekend projects and want to quickly find your 'DIY' pins," Hui Xu, Software Engineer at Pinterest wrote.

The feature is currently being rolling out onto the web. It will also be brought to mobile "soon," though no specific time frame was given.

Pinterest features

This new feature comes only weeks after Pinterest debuted three new types of pins which come with more information:

• Product pins for clothes and furniture. They will include information such as pricing, availability, and where to buy and will be updated daily.

• Recipe pins from your bloggers and websites, which  include cook time, ingredients, and servings.

• Movie pins with content ratings and cast members.

By allowing users to see more information about their pins, Pinterest is showing an obvious interest in attracting advertisers and brands to the site. 

At the same time, Pinterest also revealed that is was making the Pin It button available via mobile apps, with the first partners being Behance, Brit+Co, Etsy, Fotopedia, Jetsetter, Modcloth, Snapguide, TED, The North Face, and Zulily.

These pins will only be available in Pinterest's "new look," which was unveiled in March.

(Image source: https://blog.pinterest.com)