Guides BIMI
What is BIMI?
BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) makes your official logo appear next to your name in the inboxes of supporting providers (like Gmail and Apple Mail). It lets recipients see from their message list that a mail is from you. The condition: your email must be provably yours, so BIMI builds on DMARC. No good DMARC, no logo.
How it works
You publish a TXT record at default._bimi.<domain> pointing to your logo. The logo must be a specific format: an SVG (a 'tiny PS' variant), square and fairly simple.
When a supporting provider gets a mail from you that passes DMARC, it fetches your BIMI record, loads the logo and places it next to your sender name. If a message doesn't pass DMARC, no logo appears. So an imitation of your brand never gets to show your logo.
What you need for it
- A strict DMARC policy:
p=quarantineorp=reject(BIMI doesn't work withp=none) - A logo as an SVG in the right format (square, tiny-PS profile)
- The BIMI record in DNS pointing to that logo
- For the biggest providers (Gmail, Apple Mail), also a VMC or CMC (see below)
What is a VMC?
A VMC (Verified Mark Certificate) is a kind of official proof that the logo really is yours, issued by a certificate party after verifying your brand (often a registered trademark). Some providers, including Gmail and Apple Mail, only show your logo with such a certificate. Since 2024 Gmail also accepts a CMC (Common Mark Certificate): cheaper and without the trademark requirement. You do then have to show the logo has been in use for at least a year.
A VMC costs money and requires paperwork (trademark registration). For small domains BIMI therefore isn't always worth it. For brands that send a lot of mail it is.
Why you'd want this
BIMI doesn't make your mail safer. The security sits in the SPF, DKIM and DMARC you need for it anyway. What it adds is visibility: among dozens of other messages yours is immediately recognizable as yours, and an imitation without a logo stands out sooner. For brands that send a lot of customer mail (newsletters, invoices) that can make a difference in how often the mail gets opened.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need DMARC for BIMI?
Yes, and not just any: you need a strict policy (quarantine or reject). With p=none no provider shows your logo.
Do I always need a VMC?
Not everywhere. Apple Mail requires a VMC. Gmail accepts the cheaper CMC alongside a VMC, but only shows the blue checkmark with a VMC. At Yahoo your logo can appear without any certificate.
What logo format should I use?
An SVG in the 'SVG Tiny PS' profile: square, no scripts, a solid background. Regular SVGs or PNGs don't work.
Does BIMI improve my deliverability?
Not directly. BIMI is mainly about visibility and trust. The deliverability gain comes from the SPF/DKIM/DMARC you need for it anyway.