What are the steps for BIMI verification and logo display?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 24 Jun 2025
Updated 19 Aug 2025
7 min read
Displaying your brand logo next to your emails in a recipient's inbox can significantly boost brand recognition and trust. This is made possible through Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI), an email specification that allows participating mailbox providers to show your verified logo.
However, getting your logo to appear isn't always straightforward. It involves a series of technical steps and adherence to specific standards. Understanding each stage is crucial for successful BIMI implementation and ensuring your brand identity is consistently displayed across major email clients like Gmail and Yahoo Mail.
The authentication foundation
Before you can even think about your logo, you must ensure your domain's email authentication is robust. BIMI relies heavily on a strong DMARC policy that is at an enforcement level, meaning it's set to either quarantine (p=quarantine) or reject (p=reject) rather than monitor (p=none).
This foundational step involves correctly configuring SPF (Sender Policy Framework) and DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail) for all your sending sources and ensuring they align with your DMARC record. Mailbox providers will check these records to verify that the emails originate from your domain and haven't been spoofed or tampered with.
Without a robust DMARC implementation at enforcement, your BIMI journey stops before it even begins. It signals to receiving mail servers that your domain is serious about email security and identity. You can find more details in the BIMI Group's implementation guide.
For specific guidance on ensuring your DMARC is ready for BIMI, exploring resources on setting up DMARC for BIMI can be beneficial. It’s the groundwork that allows your logo to be trusted and displayed.
Preparing your brand logo (SVG)
Once your email authentication is in order, the next step is preparing your brand logo. BIMI requires your logo to be in a specific format: a Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) file, specifically the SVG Tiny 1.2 PS profile. This isn't just any SVG, and it often requires careful conversion from your original logo file.
There are precise requirements for the SVG file, including dimensions, aspect ratio, and the removal of certain elements like external links or scripts that could pose security risks. The logo must be square, centered, and optimized for display at various sizes within an email client. After creating the SVG, it needs to be hosted on a secure, publicly accessible web server using HTTPS.
To ensure your SVG file meets all the strict BIMI specifications, it's highly recommended to use a BIMI SVG validator tool. These tools check for common issues that could prevent your logo from displaying, helping you confirm that your file is correctly formatted before proceeding. For more details on these specifications, you can refer to SVG file requirements and validation.
Here's an example of how the SVG might look to ensure it's BIMI-compliant, focusing on a minimal structure and secure hosting:
A Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) is a digital certificate that proves your organization's legitimate ownership of a logo and the right to use it. While not all mailbox providers currently require a VMC for BIMI logo display (e.g., Yahoo does not currently require a VMC), major players like Google and Microsoft generally do.
The process of obtaining a VMC from an accredited Certificate Authority (CA) such as DigiCert or Entrust is rigorous. It involves a thorough validation of your organization's legal entity, verification of your trademarked logo, and confirmation of your right to use that logo with your domain. This can be an intense process, requiring significant documentation and communication with the CA.
The strictness of this verification is by design. The entire point is to prevent unauthorized logo usage and build sender trust. The VMC effectively links your authenticated email with your official, verified brand logo. Once acquired, your VMC file (typically a PEM file) must be hosted on a secure web server alongside your SVG logo.
For specific insights into how VMCs work, particularly with sub-domains and their importance for logo display, you can refer to resources on BIMI VMC certificates.
Publishing your BIMI DNS record
The final technical step is publishing your BIMI record as a DNS TXT record for your domain. This record tells email clients where to find your SVG logo and, if applicable, your VMC. It acts as the bridge between your authenticated emails and your visual brand identity in the inbox.
The BIMI record typically includes the version tag (v=), the URL to your SVG logo (l=), and the URL to your VMC (a=) if you have one. It's crucial that these URLs point to the correct, publicly accessible locations where your files are hosted. Any errors in the record or inaccessible URLs will prevent your logo from displaying.
Example BIMI DNS TXT Recorddns
default._bimi.yourdomain.com IN TXT "v=BIMI1; l=https://yourdomain.com/bimi/logo.svg; a=https://yourdomain.com/bimi/certificate.pem;"
After adding the DNS record, allow time for DNS propagation. It can take several hours, or even up to 48 hours, for DNS changes to fully update across the internet. Once propagated, email clients that support BIMI will be able to retrieve your logo and display it next to your emails, provided all other conditions (like DMARC enforcement and good sender reputation) are met.
Post-implementation and troubleshooting
Even after meticulously following all the steps, you might encounter issues with your BIMI logo not displaying. This can be frustrating, but various factors can influence logo visibility, including mailbox provider-specific policies and your sender reputation.
Mailbox providers often have additional criteria beyond just BIMI compliance. A strong sender reputation is key; if your emails are frequently landing in spam folders or your domain is on an email blacklist (or blocklist), your BIMI logo might not be displayed. Maintaining healthy sending practices, monitoring your domain reputation, and avoiding spam traps are crucial.
DMARC policy: Ensure your DMARC policy is at enforcement (p=quarantine or p=reject).
SVG file errors: Validate your SVG Tiny 1.2 PS file for compliance.
DNS propagation: Allow sufficient time for your BIMI DNS TXT record to propagate.
Sender reputation: Maintain a strong sender reputation to encourage logo display.
VMC requirement: Some providers like Gmail require a VMC.
If you're still facing issues, our guides on troubleshooting BIMI logo display can provide further assistance. Remember that some providers might also have specific requirements or delays for logo adoption.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Start by implementing DMARC at an enforcement policy (p=quarantine or p=reject) before pursuing BIMI.
Always use a BIMI SVG validator tool to ensure your logo file meets all technical specifications.
Host your SVG logo and VMC (if applicable) on a secure, public-facing HTTPS server.
Monitor your domain's sender reputation, as a good reputation is essential for logo display.
Common pitfalls
Not having DMARC at an enforcement policy, which is a prerequisite for BIMI adoption.
Using an SVG file that doesn't conform to the SVG Tiny 1.2 PS profile or has invalid elements.
Failing to host the SVG logo or VMC on a publicly accessible and HTTPS-secured server.
Ignoring sender reputation, as a poor reputation can prevent BIMI logo display even with correct setup.
Expert tips
For small businesses, test BIMI basics with Yahoo first, as they don't require a VMC for logo display.
Focus on achieving blue or purple verification badges from Gmail and Yahoo, as these are increasingly important.
Prioritize Apple Business Connect cards alongside or even before BIMI with VMC/CMC for broader visibility.
The VMC process is thorough because it validates brand and domain ownership, building trust at scale.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says the processes for BIMI certification are well-documented, but require deep expertise to fully understand and implement correctly.
2024-11-08 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says the core purpose of the VMC verification is to rigorously confirm the entity's identity, their authority to use the domain, and their right to use the logo in email communications.
2024-11-08 - Email Geeks
Summary of the BIMI journey
The path to BIMI verification and logo display requires a structured approach, starting with solid email authentication and progressing through careful logo preparation, optional (but increasingly important) VMC acquisition, and precise DNS record publication.
While the process can be detailed, the payoff in terms of increased brand trust and recognition in the inbox makes BIMI a worthwhile investment for any organization committed to improving its email presence and deliverability. Always verify your setup and maintain good sending practices for the best results.
Gmail and 
Yahoo Mail.
Microsoft generally do.
DigiCert or 
Entrust is rigorous. It involves a thorough validation of your organization's legal entity, verification of your trademarked logo, and confirmation of your right to use that logo with your domain. This can be an intense process, requiring significant documentation and communication with the CA.
Gmail require a VMC.
