TXT TXT Record: BIMI

BIMI displays your brand logo next to emails in Gmail, Apple Mail, and Yahoo. Learn the TXT record format, SVG requirements, and VMC certificate.

Published · Last verified · Maintained by TamingDNS

Record Type
TXT
Category
Authentication (TXT)
RFC
BIMI Working Group Spec
Email Relevant
Yes
Format
TXT "v=BIMI1; l=<svg-url>; a=<vmc-url>"
Example
TXT "v=BIMI1; l=https://example.com/logo.svg; a=https://example.com/vmc.pem"
TTL Guidance
3600-86400 s

💬 What This Record Does

Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) lets you display your company's logo next to emails in supporting inboxes (Gmail, Apple Mail, Yahoo Mail, Fastmail). The TXT record at default._bimi.example.com points to a hosted SVG logo and an optional Verified Mark Certificate (VMC). BIMI requires a DMARC policy of at least p=quarantine and a domain-aligned DKIM signature. Google and Yahoo also require a VMC from an approved certificate authority.

Common Uses

  • Displaying a verified brand logo in Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Apple Mail inboxes
  • Increasing email recognition and click rates for transactional or marketing campaigns
  • Demonstrating strong email authentication posture (DMARC p=quarantine/reject required)

⚠️ Watch Out For

  • The SVG must be a square, tiny-profile SVG (SVG Tiny PS). Most standard SVG files fail validation.
  • Gmail requires a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) from DigiCert or Entrust. This is a paid certificate.
  • BIMI will not display if your DMARC policy is p=none.

📋 Complete Example Records

Whole records in zone-file form: name, TTL, class, type, then the data. Most DNS panels ask for the pieces separately. Look them up live with the DNS Lookup tool.

default._bimi.example.com.  3600  IN  TXT  "v=BIMI1; l=https://example.com/logo.svg; a=https://example.com/vmc.pem"

The full form, carrying a logo and the certificate that vouches for it. Mailbox providers look at the default selector unless a message names another.

default._bimi.example.com.  3600  IN  TXT  "v=BIMI1; l=https://example.com/logo.svg;"

A logo with no authority evidence. An absent or empty a= tag means the domain owner is not supplying a certificate, and mailbox providers decide for themselves whether to show anything on that basis.

default._bimi.example.com.  3600  IN  TXT  "v=BIMI1; l=; a=;"

An explicit declination, given verbatim in §4.3.1 of the BIMI draft. Empty l= and a= tags refuse participation, which the spec treats as different from publishing no record at all.

_dmarc.example.com.  3600  IN  TXT  "v=DMARC1; p=reject; rua=mailto:dmarc-feedback@example.com"

This is the prerequisite rather than a BIMI record. BIMI applies only to domains already enforcing DMARC at quarantine or reject, so this one has to exist first.