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BIMI record

How a BIMI record at default._bimi points mail clients to your brand logo: the l= SVG Tiny PS file, the a= VMC or CMC certificate, and the DMARC policy it needs.

What it is

BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) lets a domain publish a logo that supporting mail clients show next to its messages, in place of a generic initial. It is a TXT record at default._bimi.<domain> that points to an SVG logo and, usually, to a certificate proving you own that logo. BIMI is a specification from the BIMI Group and an IETF draft, not an RFC. It is only honoured for mail that passes DMARC under an enforcing policy.

default._bimi.example.com.  3600  IN  TXT  "v=BIMI1; l=https://example.com/bimi/logo.svg; a=https://example.com/bimi/vmc.pem"

The tags

Tag Meaning
v=BIMI1 Version; must come first
l= HTTPS URL of the logo, in the SVG Tiny Portable/Secure (SVG Tiny PS) profile
a= HTTPS URL of a PEM file with a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) or Common Mark Certificate (CMC)

default is the selector. A sender can add a BIMI-Selector header to use another one, such as brand2._bimi, but most domains need only default. A record of v=BIMI1; l=; a=; declares that the domain has no logo.

Requirements

  • DMARC at enforcement: p=quarantine or p=reject on the organisational domain, with pct=100 (or no pct), and a subdomain policy that isn't none. p=none does not qualify.
  • SPF and DKIM passing and aligned, which DMARC already implies.
  • The logo must be SVG Tiny PS: a square image, solid background, no scripts, no external references, no animation, and a <title> element. A normal SVG exported from a design tool usually needs converting.
  • A certificate for most mailbox providers. A VMC needs a registered trademark for the logo; a CMC (introduced in 2024) instead needs proof the logo has been in use for at least a year. Both are issued by a small number of certificate authorities after an identity check and cost money every year.

Who shows it

Gmail shows BIMI logos only with a VMC or CMC, and adds a blue verified checkmark for VMC senders. Yahoo Mail and AOL can show a logo without a certificate for senders with good reputation and volume, and Apple Mail supports BIMI with a VMC. Support differs between mailbox providers and changes over time, so check each provider's current sender guidelines. Meeting the requirements makes the logo eligible; each provider still decides whether to show it.

How to check it

The MTA-STS checker also looks up default._bimi and reports the logo and certificate URLs; check the domain's DMARC with the DMARC checker. From a terminal:

dig +short TXT default._bimi.example.com
nslookup -type=TXT default._bimi.example.com

Common mistakes

  • DMARC still at p=none, or pct below 100: no client will show the logo.
  • Plain SVG instead of SVG Tiny PS: the logo is rejected silently. Validate it with a BIMI SVG checker before publishing.
  • Logo or certificate served over HTTP, behind a redirect, or blocked by a firewall that rejects unknown clients.
  • The logo in the certificate doesn't match l=: the SVG must be the same one embedded in the VMC or CMC.
  • Record at the wrong name: it's default._bimi.example.com, not _bimi.example.com.
  • Expecting instant results: providers cache logos and evaluate reputation; it can take days to appear.