What Is BIMI? Brand Logos in Supporting Inboxes
BIMI lets supporting mailbox providers show your brand logo next to authenticated mail. Learn DNS requirements, SVG constraints, and why DMARC enforcement comes first.
BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is a DNS-based standard that lets supporting mailbox providers display a brand logo beside messages that pass DMARC. It is a trust and recognition layer on top of authentication — not a substitute for SPF, DKIM, or DMARC policy.
If DMARC is still at p=none with failing senders, BIMI will not save you. Confirm policy readiness with the free DMARC checker before you invest in logos and certificates.
What BIMI needs
- DMARC at enforcement — typically
p=quarantineorp=rejectwith alignment that actually passes for your mail. - BIMI DNS TXT at
default._bimi(or another selector) pointing at an SVG Tiny PS logo URL. - Evidence / VMC where the mailbox provider requires a Verified Mark Certificate for logo display.
default._bimi.example.com. TXT "v=BIMI1; l=https://example.com/bimi/logo.svg; a=https://example.com/bimi/vmc.pem"
Logo constraints that trip teams
BIMI expects a specific SVG profile (SVG Tiny PS). Marketing SVGs with scripts, external fonts, or unsupported features fail validation. Keep a dedicated, audited asset rather than reusing a website logo file unchanged.
Display is provider-specific. Absence of a logo does not mean DMARC failed — it may mean the receiver does not implement BIMI yet.
Order of operations
- 1Finish DMARC setup and understand policy choices.
- 2Verify live DNS with the DMARC checker.
- 3Prepare a BIMI-compliant SVG and any required mark certificate.
- 4Publish the BIMI TXT record and test in participating providers.
BIMI is the badge after the lock. Earn DMARC enforcement first, then publish a clean logo record so supporting inboxes can show your brand next to mail that already authenticates.
