<p>Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_x (Bi-2212) high temperature superconductors have shown great potential for ultra-high-field magnet applications. In order to improve the texture and critical current density <i>J</i>_<i>c</i>, Bi-2212 tapes with different thicknesses were fabricated by powder-in-tube (PIT) method followed by rolling. The influence of thickness on the texture, secondary phase formation and flux pinning behavior was systematically investigated. Thin tapes exhibited strong texture with fine and well-dispersed secondary phases, whereas thick tapes displayed weak texture accompanied by coarse and abundant secondary phases. The B02 tape, featuring a 106 μm-thick Bi-2212 layer, achieved a <i>J</i>_<i>c</i> of 3.29 × 10⁵ A/cm² at 4.2 K and 0 T. Moreover, Bi-2212 tapes with different thicknesses demonstrated distinct flux pinning behaviors across various temperatures. In well-textured thin tapes, low-angle grain boundaries might act as effective surface pinning centers at 4.2K. While, in the thick tapes with poor texture, the coarse secondary phases might provide effective point pinning centers at 20K and 5T. These findings suggest that achieving strong texture and uniform distribution of fine secondary phases is critical for enhancing both surface pinning and point pinning forces over 4.2K—20K. Therefore, thickness optimization represents a valid approach to improve the <i>J</i>_<i>c</i> performances of Bi-2212 tapes.</p>