Free BIMI Inspector (Brand Indicators for Message Identification)

Validate your BIMI configuration and display your brand logo in email inboxes. Check VMC, logo format, and DMARC requirements.

BIMI Inspector

Validate Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) - Display your logo in email inboxes

Enter your domain to check BIMI configuration

What is BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification)?

Overview

BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is an emerging email specification that enables the use of brand-controlled logos within supporting email clients. BIMI ties the displayed logo to a validated domain that has a strong DMARC policy (quarantine or reject). When properly configured, your company logo appears next to your emails in Gmail, Yahoo, and other supporting email clients, significantly improving brand recognition and trust.

How BIMI Works

  1. DMARC Enforcement: Your domain must have a DMARC policy of p=quarantine or p=reject
  2. BIMI Record Published: You publish a DNS TXT record at default._bimi.yourdomain.com
  3. Email Sent: When you send an email, the receiving server checks your BIMI record
  4. Logo Retrieved: If DMARC passes, the server fetches your logo from the URL in the BIMI record
  5. VMC Verified: For Gmail/Yahoo, a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) is verified
  6. Logo Displayed: Your brand logo appears next to your email in the recipient's inbox

BIMI Requirements

  • DMARC Policy: Must be set to p=quarantine or p=reject (p=none is not sufficient)
  • Logo Format: SVG Tiny Portable/Secure (SVG Tiny PS) format only
  • Square Aspect Ratio: Logo must be square (1:1 ratio)
  • HTTPS Hosting: Logo file must be served over HTTPS
  • Verified Mark Certificate (VMC): Required by Gmail, Yahoo, and most major providers
  • Trademark: Logo must be a registered trademark for VMC issuance

What is a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)?

A Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) is a digital certificate that verifies your ownership of a registered trademark and your right to use a specific logo. VMCs are issued by Mark Verification Authorities (MVAs) like DigiCert, Entrust, and others. Major email providers like Gmail and Yahoo require a VMC to display BIMI logos. The VMC process involves:

1. Trademark Registration

Your logo must be a registered trademark with a national trademark office (USPTO, EUIPO, etc.).

2. VMC Application

Apply for a VMC through an authorized MVA. The MVA verifies your trademark ownership and domain control.

3. Certificate Issuance

Once verified, the MVA issues a certificate (.pem file) that you reference in your BIMI record.

Benefits of BIMI

  • Brand Recognition: Your logo appears in email inboxes, increasing brand visibility
  • Trust & Legitimacy: Visual verification helps recipients identify authentic emails
  • Anti-Phishing: Makes it harder for attackers to impersonate your brand
  • Higher Engagement: Emails with brand logos typically see better open rates
  • Competitive Advantage: Stand out in crowded inboxes with visual branding
  • Forces DMARC Enforcement: Requires strong email authentication, improving overall security

Email Clients Supporting BIMI

✓ Full Support (VMC Required):
  • Gmail (Google Workspace)
  • Yahoo Mail
  • AOL Mail
  • Fastmail
⚠ Partial Support or Testing:
  • Apple Mail (Limited)
  • Various other providers implementing gradually

Setting Up BIMI

Step-by-Step Implementation

  1. Verify DMARC Policy: Ensure your DMARC record has p=quarantine or p=reject
  2. Register Trademark: If not already done, register your logo as a trademark
  3. Create SVG Logo: Convert your logo to SVG Tiny Portable/Secure format (square, 1:1 ratio)
  4. Host Logo File: Upload logo to a public HTTPS URL (e.g., https://example.com/logo.svg)
  5. Obtain VMC: Apply for a Verified Mark Certificate from DigiCert, Entrust, or another MVA ($1,500-$1,500/year)
  6. Host VMC File: Upload the .pem certificate file to a public HTTPS URL
  7. Create BIMI DNS Record: Add TXT record at default._bimi.yourdomain.com
  8. Test Configuration: Use this tool to verify your BIMI setup
  9. Wait for Propagation: DNS changes take 24-48 hours; VMC verification may take several days
  10. Send Test Emails: Send emails to Gmail/Yahoo accounts to verify logo display

BIMI Record Format

BIMI records are TXT records published at default._bimi.yourdomain.com with the following format:

v=BIMI1; l=https://example.com/logo.svg; a=https://example.com/vmc.pem
  • v=BIMI1: Protocol version (required)
  • l=: Location (URL) of the logo SVG file
  • a=: Authority (URL) of the VMC .pem file (optional but recommended for Gmail/Yahoo)

Common BIMI Issues

DMARC Not Enforced

BIMI requires p=quarantine or p=reject. If your DMARC policy is p=none, upgrade it to enable BIMI.

Invalid SVG Format

Logo must be SVG Tiny Portable/Secure format. Regular SVG files won't work. Use tools like BIMI SVG converters to create compliant files.

No VMC (Logo Not Displayed)

Gmail and Yahoo require a VMC to display logos. Without a VMC, your logo won't appear even with a valid BIMI record.

Logo Not Square

BIMI logos must have a 1:1 aspect ratio (square). Rectangular logos will be rejected. Adjust your logo design to fit a square format.

Logo URL Not Accessible

Ensure the logo URL is publicly accessible over HTTPS and returns proper Content-Type headers (image/svg+xml).

BIMI Best Practices

  • Start with a strong DMARC policy (p=quarantine or p=reject) and 100% enforcement
  • Ensure your logo is a registered trademark before applying for a VMC
  • Use a simple, recognizable logo design that works well at small sizes
  • Test your SVG file for SVG Tiny PS compliance using online validators
  • Host logo and VMC files on reliable, fast HTTPS servers
  • Set appropriate caching headers for logo files
  • Monitor BIMI display across different email clients
  • Renew your VMC before expiration (typically annual)
  • Keep DMARC reports enabled to monitor authentication issues

Cost Considerations

Implementing BIMI involves several costs:

  • Trademark Registration: $250-$1,000+ (one-time, varies by country/jurisdiction)
  • SVG Creation: $0-$500 (if outsourced to a designer)
  • Verified Mark Certificate: $1,500-$2,500/year from MVAs like DigiCert or Entrust
  • DNS/Hosting: Minimal (covered by existing infrastructure)

Note: While BIMI has upfront costs, it's most valuable for brands that send significant email volume and want to improve brand recognition and trust.