Email Marketing

What Is BIMI?

Practical note: Technical information should be validated against your mail provider, DNS configuration and current standards before production changes.

By Abhishek Sharma August 2026 4 min read Email Marketing

Abhishek SharmaEditor & email infrastructure writerView author profile →

Last reviewed: 12 August 2026 • Editorial and source check

BIMI lets your brand's logo appear next to your emails in Gmail, Yahoo and other supporting inboxes. Here's what it is and what you need before you can use it.

The Simple Definition

BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is a standard that lets you display your verified brand logo next to your emails in the recipient's inbox — instead of a generic sender icon or first-letter avatar. It's the newest layer in the email authentication stack, building directly on top of SPF, DKIM and DMARC.

Why It's Not Just Decoration

A BIMI logo is a visible trust signal. It tells recipients — at a glance, before they even open the email — that the message passed strict authentication checks. This makes it meaningfully harder for phishing attempts impersonating your brand to look convincing, since fake emails won't carry the verified logo.

What You Need Before BIMI Will Work

BIMI Requirements

✓DMARC enforced at p=quarantine or p=reject — not p=none

✓A square logo in SVG Tiny PS format, hosted over HTTPS

✓For Gmail specifically, a Verified Mark Certificate or Common Mark Certificate

✓A published BIMI DNS TXT record

Which Inboxes Support It

Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail (through its Branded Mail program) all support BIMI as of 2026, with coverage continuing to expand. Support varies by provider in exactly what certificate is required, so check the specific requirements for the inboxes your subscribers use most.

Build your record Once your DMARC is enforced and your logo is ready, use our free BIMI Record Generator to build the correct DNS record in seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use BIMI without DMARC enforcement?

No. DMARC must be enforced at p=quarantine or p=reject before BIMI will work — this is a hard technical prerequisite, not a suggestion.

What format does my logo need to be in for BIMI?

A square SVG file following the Tiny PS profile, hosted over HTTPS. Standard SVG exports from most design tools typically need adjustment to meet this specific, restricted format.

Do all inboxes require a certificate to show my BIMI logo?

Requirements vary by provider. Gmail specifically requires a Verified Mark Certificate or Common Mark Certificate; other providers may display your logo with just a valid BIMI record and DMARC enforcement.

Quick Summary

BIMI displays your verified brand logo next to your emails in supporting inboxes
It requires DMARC enforcement (p=quarantine or p=reject) as a hard prerequisite
Your logo must be a square SVG Tiny PS file hosted over HTTPS
Gmail, Yahoo Mail and Apple Mail all support BIMI as of 2026

Sources & references

Selected primary or authoritative references relevant to this topic. Verify current vendor policies, standards and legal requirements before relying on them operationally.

Written by Abhishek

Founder & Editor, PowerMTA.in

Runs PowerMTA.in alongside his own email marketing and affiliate operations targeting Indian audiences — hands-on with bulk sending infrastructure, live campaigns, and content properties. Read more →