A BIMI record is a DNS TXT record that lets a brand publish a logo for participating inboxes. It only works when DMARC is enforced, the logo is SVG Tiny PS, and, for Gmail, the domain has a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) or Common Mark Certificate (CMC). The record itself is one line. The requirements behind it are the project.
What a BIMI record does
BIMI stands for Brand Indicators for Message Identification. A domain publishes a brand logo assertion in DNS, and a participating mailbox provider may display that logo next to the sender name. The provider decides whether to show it, based on authentication, DMARC enforcement, certificate status, and its own display rules.
BIMI is not a spam filter bypass and not a replacement for SPF, DKIM, or DMARC. It adds a visual trust signal after email authentication is already solid. For a B2B sender, that can help a known brand stand out in a crowded inbox, but it does nothing for a domain that is still failing alignment or sending to a dirty list.
The four requirements
| Requirement | What it means | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| DMARC enforcement | The DMARC policy must be quarantine or reject. A none policy does not qualify. | DMARC TXT record |
| SVG Tiny PS logo | The logo must use the SVG Tiny PS profile, with no scripts, animations, or external references. | BIMI Group inspector or SVG validator |
| VMC or CMC | A certificate ties the logo to the domain. Gmail requires one. | Certificate authority |
| BIMI DNS record | A TXT record at the BIMI selector points to the logo and, when used, the certificate PEM. | DNS |
The DNS record is the easy part. Most failed BIMI projects fail on DMARC enforcement, logo format, or the certificate.
DMARC enforcement: the gate most brands fail
BIMI requires DMARC enforcement at the organizational domain and its subdomains. The BIMI Group is explicit: the policy must be p=quarantine or p=reject, the subdomain policy must also be quarantine or reject, and pct must be 100. A none policy, or a pct below 100, is not accepted.
That is stricter than Google’s bulk sender baseline. Google allows a none policy for bulk senders, but BIMI does not. If your domain is still at p=none, BIMI is not available yet, even if the DNS record is published.
The enforcement change is also the riskiest part. Moving a domain from p=none to p=quarantine can filter legitimate mail if a third-party platform is signing with its own domain or a forwarder is breaking alignment. Fix alignment first, watch aggregate reports, then move the main domain. A subdomain can be a useful staging ground if it has enough traffic to produce reports.
Logo and certificate: SVG Tiny PS, VMC, CMC
SVG Tiny PS
BIMI does not accept a normal PNG, JPEG, or standard SVG. The logo must be an SVG Tiny PS file with baseProfile tiny-ps and version 1.2. It must not contain scripts, animations, or external references. Google also asks for absolute dimensions, a minimum height and width of 96 pixels, and a file size preferably at or below 32 KB.
Use the BIMI Group conversion tools to produce the file, then validate it before you publish. A logo that looks correct in a browser can still fail the Tiny PS profile.
VMC vs CMC
| Certificate | Trademark needed | Who it fits | Provider note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) | Yes, a registered trademark | Brands with a registered logo mark | Gmail accepts a VMC and can show a verified checkmark |
| Common Mark Certificate (CMC) | No trademark required | Brands without a registered mark | Gmail accepts a CMC; display varies by provider |
| No certificate | No | Self-asserted BIMI record | Limited provider support; Gmail does not accept a standalone SVG |
A VMC requires a registered trademark for the logo. A CMC is the alternative for brands that do not have one. Both are issued by certificate authorities, and both take time and budget. Do not start a BIMI project before you know which certificate path you can use.
The BIMI DNS record and how to verify it
The record is published at the BIMI selector, normally default._bimi:
“text default._bimi.example.com. IN TXT "v=BIMI1; l=https://example.com/bimi-logo.svg; a=https://example.com/certificate.pem" “
The l= value points to the SVG logo. The a= value points to the certificate PEM. At the protocol level, a= is optional, which is why self-asserted records exist. Gmail requires a VMC or CMC, so a self-asserted record will not produce a Gmail logo.
Google says the record can take up to 48 hours to show in recipients’ mailboxes. Verification should cover four things:
1. dig TXT _dmarc.example.com shows p=quarantine or p=reject, sp=quarantine or sp=reject, and pct=100. 2. dig TXT default._bimi.example.com shows v=BIMI1, a reachable l= URL, and, when used, a reachable a= URL. 3. Both URLs load over HTTPS and return the expected SVG and PEM files. 4. A test message to a Gmail mailbox shows the logo, or the BIMI Group inspector reports the record as valid.
If the record is valid but the logo still does not show, check provider support and reputation before changing the DNS record again.
Provider support: Gmail, Apple, Yahoo, Microsoft 365
| Provider | BIMI support | Certificate requirement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail | Yes | VMC or CMC | A standalone SVG is not supported; a VMC can show a verified checkmark |
| Apple Mail | Yes | Provider-specific | Check the current Apple requirements before issuing a certificate |
| Yahoo Mail | Yes | Provider-specific | Display rules and certificate requirements vary |
| Microsoft 365 and Outlook | No current support as of 2026 | Not applicable | Microsoft Q&A answers say Exchange Online and Outlook do not currently support BIMI. Check before relying on it. |
BIMI Group’s provider list also includes Fastmail, LaPoste, Onet, Poczta, Zoho, Zone, and Zoner. Each provider applies its own display criteria, so a record that works in Gmail may not show in every inbox.
Microsoft 365 is the important caveat for B2B teams. A large share of enterprise recipients use Outlook, and BIMI is not currently a reliable display channel there. Microsoft’s own Dynamics 365 documentation lists Google, Fastmail, and Yahoo among BIMI-supporting providers; Microsoft Q&A answers are more direct about Exchange Online and Outlook. If Outlook is your main audience, treat BIMI as a brand project for the providers that support it, not as an Outlook deliverability fix.
Common failure modes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The record exists but no logo appears | DMARC is at none, or pct is below 100 | Move to quarantine or reject, set sp, set pct=100 |
| Gmail shows nothing | The record is self-asserted, or the certificate is missing | Get a VMC or CMC and point a= at the PEM |
| The logo is rejected | The file is not SVG Tiny PS, has scripts or external references, or uses relative dimensions | Convert and validate the SVG, then republish |
| Subdomain mail loses the logo | The subdomain policy is none, or the subdomain is not covered | Set sp=quarantine or sp=reject and verify the subdomain record |
| The record is not found | Wrong selector, wrong host, or no TXT record at default._bimi | Publish at the correct selector and re-query DNS |
| It works in one provider but not another | Provider support or display criteria differ | Check the BIMI Group adoption list; do not assume universal display |
BIMI is not a deliverability fix
A logo does not move a message from spam to the inbox. BIMI is a brand-display signal that sits on top of authentication. If inbox placement is poor, the fix is still SPF, DKIM, DMARC alignment, sender reputation, list quality, and a sane sending rhythm. For the full diagnostic sequence, use our cold email deliverability checklist.
Warm-up and list hygiene are separate projects. If you are still ramping a new domain or recovering from a reputation problem, start with the email domain warm-up playbook before you spend budget on a certificate.
What we found in DNS spot checks
We queried default._bimi for 16 domains drawn from the BIMI and cold email SERPs on 2026-10-22, using DNS-over-HTTPS.
| Result | Domains |
|---|---|
| Published a BIMI record | 4 |
| Included a certificate PEM | 3 |
| Self-asserted record, no certificate | 1 |
| No BIMI record or no answer | 11 |
| Query error, not counted | 1 |
The self-asserted record is the interesting one. It points to an SVG but leaves a= empty, which is valid at the protocol level and still limited at the provider level. Even pages ranking for “bimi record” often do not publish one, and a published record does not guarantee display.
In a separate 75-domain industrial/B2B DNS scan on 2026-10-24, 0 of the 75 domains published a BIMI record. That fits the pattern: BIMI adoption is concentrated among consumer and tech brands, not industrial B2B.
This is a small, non-representative spot check. It is not a market adoption estimate. It is a reminder to verify the actual record and certificate before assuming a competitor has a working BIMI setup.
FAQ
What is a BIMI record?
A BIMI record is a DNS TXT record at the BIMI selector that points to a brand logo and, when used, a certificate PEM. It tells participating mailbox providers that the domain claims the logo. The provider still decides whether to display it.
Do I need a VMC for BIMI?
Gmail requires a VMC or CMC. A VMC requires a registered trademark. A CMC is the alternative for brands without a registered mark. A self-asserted record without a certificate has limited provider support.
Does BIMI improve deliverability?
No. BIMI is a brand-display signal, not a deliverability fix. Inbox placement still depends on authentication, sender reputation, list quality, and sending behavior.
Why is my BIMI logo not showing in Gmail?
Common causes are a DMARC policy at none, pct below 100, a missing VMC or CMC, a logo that is not SVG Tiny PS, or a record at the wrong selector. Check the DMARC record, the BIMI TXT record, the certificate, and the logo format in that order.
Does Microsoft 365 support BIMI?
As of 2026 the Microsoft Q&A answers say Exchange Online and Outlook do not currently support BIMI. Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 documentation lists Google, Fastmail, and Yahoo among BIMI-supporting providers. Check the current support status before you plan an Outlook BIMI rollout.
When to get help
If you want a second pair of eyes on your DMARC enforcement, SVG logo, or certificate path, book a free deliverability audit and we will check the records before you publish. If you need the full outbound service, start with our cold email outreach service page.