BIMI is a DNS TXT record at default._bimi.yourdomain that points mailbox providers to your logo. It only works once DMARC is enforced at quarantine or reject, the logo is an SVG Tiny PS file served over HTTPS, and, for Gmail, a VMC or CMC certificate vouches for it. Providers still decide whether to show it.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| DMARC at enforcement | p=quarantine or p=reject, applied to 100% of mail |
| SPF and DKIM aligned | Mail must pass DMARC before a logo is considered |
| Logo file | SVG Tiny PS, square, served from an HTTPS URL |
| Certificate for Gmail | VMC (registered trademark) or CMC, as a PEM file |
| The record | TXT at default._bimi.yourdomain starting v=BIMI1 |
Updated
For a small brand, BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is the step that turns a grey initial in the inbox into your logo. It sits at the end of the email authentication chain, so it rewards domains that already have SPF, DKIM and DMARC working. The builder below writes the record and checks the DMARC line you paste for the policy BIMI needs. If DMARC is not set up yet, start with our SPF, DKIM and DMARC guide.
Everything runs in your browser. This page cannot open your logo or certificate links; it only checks how they are written.
| Tag | Meaning |
|---|---|
| v | Version, BIMI1. Must be the first tag. |
| l | HTTPS link to the SVG logo. Empty means you decline BIMI. |
| a | HTTPS link to the certificate (VMC or CMC) as a PEM file. Optional in the draft, expected by Gmail. |
This is the form Gmail can act on, provided DMARC is enforced and the certificate matches the logo.
default._bimi.example.com. TXT "v=BIMI1; l=https://example.com/brand/logo.svg; a=https://example.com/brand/vmc.pem"Quarantine applied to all failing mail, with reports still flowing to you.
_dmarc.example.com. TXT "v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; pct=100; rua=mailto:[email protected]"An empty l= tells receivers not to show any logo for this domain.
default._bimi.example.com. TXT "v=BIMI1; l="A logo in the inbox would be a gift to anyone spoofing your domain, so the BIMI draft only lets receivers act on mail that passed DMARC under a strong policy. A quarantine policy also has to cover all mail, which is why pct must be 100.
That is the order to work in: get SPF and DKIM passing for every sender, enforce DMARC, then publish BIMI last.
SVG Tiny PS is a restricted profile of SVG: no scripts, no external links and no embedded raster images. Design tools rarely export it directly, so most teams convert a clean square version of the logo and validate the result.
Gmail's guidance asks for a square, centred logo at a minimum of 96 by 96 pixels and a file of 32 KB or less.
Publishing the record is free. Gmail, though, expects the logo to be backed by a Verified Mark Certificate or a Common Mark Certificate, which are issued by certificate authorities for a fee. Check the issuer's own pricing page for current costs.
A VMC is tied to a registered trademark of your logo. A CMC is the newer option for logos without a trademark registration. In Gmail, senders verified with a VMC also get a checkmark next to their name.
Usually DMARC is still at p=none, pct is below 100, the SVG is not the Tiny PS profile, or the certificate is missing. Even with everything correct, the BIMI draft says mail apps keep final control and may show no logo.
The draft standard lets a message header ask for another selector, but most senders publish only default._bimi. Start there unless your sending platform tells you otherwise.
Publish v=BIMI1 with an empty l= value. The draft defines that as an explicit decision not to take part.
Related: SPF, DKIM and DMARC, MX records explained, DNS record types, DNS lookup.
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