Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) enables brands to display their logo next to authenticated emails in supported inboxes. To be eligible for BIMI, a domain must pass email authentication standards and may require a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) depending on the mailbox provider.
To qualify for BIMI, the following DNS records and policies must be properly configured:
example.com)v=spf1 include:_spf.example.com -all<selector>._domainkey.example.comv=DKIM1; k=rsa; p=MIGf...IDAQAB_dmarc.example.comp=quarantine or p=reject⚠️ BIMI does NOT work with p=none
v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:dmarc-reports@example.comdefault._bimi.example.comv=BIMI1; l=https://example.com/logo.svg; a=https://example.com/vmc.peml= points to the SVG Tiny PS logoa= points to the Verified Mark Certificate (optional)A Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) is a digital certificate that cryptographically verifies your brand's logo and trademark ownership. Certificate Authorities like DigiCert follow a rigorous validation process before issuing a VMC:
💡 Pro Tip: The VMC validation process typically takes 3-7 business days. DigiCert and other approved CAs provide dedicated support to help navigate trademark requirements and ensure your logo meets all technical specifications.
Gmail has additional requirements beyond the BIMI standard that must be met for proper logo display:
Street Address Field Required
Gmail requires the street address field in BIMI certificates. Contact your CA to reissue with street address included.
ViewBox Format
Gmail requires space-delimited ViewBox values (not comma-delimited):
❌ BAD: viewBox="0, 0, 400, 400"
✅ GOOD: viewBox="0 0 400 400"
Square Logo Required
Gmail displays logos in circular avatar slots. Logos must be square (1:1 aspect ratio) or corners will be cropped.
Minimum Size: 96x96 pixels
Gmail requires logos to be at least 96x96 pixels. Smaller logos will not display.
You can validate the following via DNS lookups and file accessibility checks:
default._bimiquarantine or reject)💡 Tools to use: dig, nslookup, BIMI validators, or this web interface
Once an email is received, the following can be checked:
Check Authentication-Results header:
spf=passdkim=passdmarc=passbimi=pass| Feature | Requires VMC? | Gmail Support | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| BIMI Logo Display | Sometimes | Conditional | Depends on provider policies |
| Blue Checkmark | Always | Yes | VMC from approved CA required |
| Check Type | DNS Only | Requires Email |
|---|---|---|
| SPF/DKIM/DMARC records | ✅ | ❌ |
| BIMI TXT record | ✅ | ❌ |
| SVG logo validation | ✅ | ❌ |
| VMC certificate | ✅ | ❌ |
| Authentication results | ❌ | ✅ |
| BIMI pass/fail status | ❌ | ✅ |
| Logo rendering | ❌ | ✅ |
Validate DNS Configuration First
Use DNS tools to ensure all authentication records are properly configured before proceeding.
Check Logo and VMC Accessibility
Ensure SVG is properly formatted (Tiny PS) and VMC is from an approved certificate authority.
Send Test Emails
Send to BIMI-capable mailboxes (Gmail, Yahoo) to verify actual rendering and authentication.
Monitor DMARC Reports
Regularly review DMARC aggregate reports to ensure authentication is working correctly.
For ongoing BIMI diagnostics, establish monitoring of DMARC reports and periodically validate BIMI configuration via test emails and header inspection.