BIMI lets a brand publish a logo that supporting email services can display beside its authenticated messages. It builds on email authentication; the inbox provider makes the final display decision.
- BIMI stands for Brand Indicators for Message Identification.
- A logo appears in the inbox interface, outside the email body.
- Authentication, logo requirements, and provider rules all matter.
The idea, without the acronyms
Open an inbox and most messages look quite similar. A sender name, a subject line, maybe a coloured initial. BIMI gives eligible organisations a way to put a recognisable brand logo in that space.
Imagine a receipt from a fictional shop called Northstar. Its mountain symbol can appear alongside the sender name, helping you recognise the brand before opening the message. The illustration on our homepage shows this idea; it is not a promise of an identical layout in every app.
An inbox logo is different from an email signature
A picture placed inside an email, including a footer logo, is content chosen by the sender. A BIMI logo is considered by the receiving email service after its checks. Adding an image to an email template does not set up BIMI.
Contact photos, account avatars, and proprietary brand programmes can also put pictures next to messages. A visible logo alone does not tell you which mechanism produced it.
Four pieces fit together
- An authenticated domain: your legitimate mail passes DMARC and the domain meets BIMI enforcement requirements.
- A suitable logo: artwork prepared in the SVG Tiny PS format.
- Evidence, where required: a mark certificate that connects the logo, organisation, and domain.
- A DNS record: published instructions telling receivers where to find those files.
Think of this as a chain. A beautifully designed logo cannot compensate for broken authentication, and a valid DNS record cannot make an unsupported email app display it.
Who should learn about BIMI?
Marketers need to understand recognition and realistic expectations. Designers prepare artwork that works at a tiny size. Email and IT teams own authentication, DNS, and monitoring. Brand or legal teams help establish rights to the mark.
You do not need to know DNS to understand the concept. Begin with this guide, then explore what happens when a message arrives.
What a logo cannot promise
BIMI does not certify the truth of an email’s content, guarantee inbox placement, or eliminate phishing. Recipients should still check unexpected requests and suspicious links. For senders, it is a visible layer built on an existing authentication programme.
Go to the source
Provider policies and specifications can change. These primary sources informed this guide, reviewed on 1 November 2026.