What Is BIMI?
Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) is an email specification that allows an organization’s brand logo to appear alongside authenticated messages in supported email applications.
BIMI builds on existing email-authentication technologies—particularly SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. After an incoming message passes authentication, the receiving mailbox provider looks for a BIMI record in the sender’s DNS. When the record and associated logo meet the provider’s requirements, the provider may display the logo next to the message.
How does BIMI work?
BIMI allows organizations to display an approved brand logo next to authenticated email messages in supported inboxes. When a message arrives, the receiving mailbox provider first checks whether the email has passed authentication through SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These checks help confirm that the message was sent from an authorized source and has not been altered during delivery.
After the message passes authentication, the mailbox provider looks for a BIMI TXT record in the sender’s Domain Name System, or DNS. This record points to the location of the organization’s approved logo and may also reference a digital mark certificate. The provider then verifies that the BIMI record, logo file, and certificate meet its requirements.
When all checks are completed successfully, the mailbox provider may display the organization’s logo next to the message. However, each provider controls how BIMI is supported, so the logo may not appear in every email application or for every recipient.
What is required to implement BIMI?
Before implementing BIMI, an organization must have a strong email-authentication setup. SPF and DKIM should be correctly configured, and the authenticated domain must align with the domain visible in the message’s From address. The organization must also have a DMARC record with an enforcement policy, typically p=quarantine or p=reject, rather than a monitoring-only policy such as p=none.
The organization must prepare its brand logo in the SVG Tiny Portable/Secure format required by BIMI. The logo should be hosted at a secure HTTPS location that can be accessed by receiving mailbox providers. A BIMI TXT record must then be published in DNS to identify the logo’s location.
Some mailbox providers also require a digital certificate before displaying the logo. This may be a Verified Mark Certificate, which is generally associated with a registered trademark, or another supported certificate type, such as a Common Mark Certificate. Because requirements vary by provider, organizations should confirm which certificates and policies are supported by the email services used by their recipients.
What are the benefits of BIMI?
BIMI can improve brand visibility by placing a recognizable company logo next to authenticated messages in supported inboxes. This creates a more consistent brand experience and can help recipients identify messages that appear to come from a familiar organization. It also gives businesses more control over the image associated with their sending domain instead of relying on logos selected or generated by individual email providers.
Implementing BIMI also encourages organizations to strengthen their email-authentication practices. Because BIMI depends on SPF, DKIM, and an enforced DMARC policy, organizations must improve the protection of their sending domains before their logo can be considered for display. This can help reduce unauthorized use of the domain and make email impersonation more difficult.
BIMI should not, however, be treated as a complete email-security solution. The presence of a logo does not guarantee that a message is safe, and BIMI does not prevent every form of phishing or spoofing. It also does not guarantee delivery, inbox placement, or logo display, since each mailbox provider applies its own technical and eligibility requirements.