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BIMI record check

Reads the record, then fetches the logo and the certificate the way a mailbox does. Most checkers stop at the record, which is why a domain whose certificate lapsed months ago still gets a green tick elsewhere.

Judged against draft-brand-indicators-for-message-identification section 4.3

Reads the record, then fetches the logo and the certificate the way a mailbox does.

Symptoms

You published a BIMI record, paid for a certificate, and no logo appears anywhere. The record validates in every syntax checker you try, which makes it look like a receiver problem. It is almost never a receiver problem.

Diagnosis

BIMI is the last step of an authentication chain, not a feature you can switch on independently. Receivers display an indicator only when they already trust the mail, and that trust is DMARC.

  • DMARC must be enforcing, quarantine or reject. At p=none, nothing displays.
  • The logo must be SVG Tiny PS over HTTPS, square, with no scripts.
  • Gmail and Apple require a VMC, referenced in the a= tag.
  • The record is read literally. Receivers are told not to correct syntax or capitalisation on your behalf.

Cure

  1. Get DMARC to quarantine or reject first. Everything else here is wasted effort until that is true.
  2. Export the logo as SVG Tiny PS and host it over HTTPS.
  3. Obtain a VMC if Gmail and Apple Mail matter to you.
  4. Publish v=BIMI1; l=…; a=… at default._bimi and re-check.

Questions people actually ask

Is BIMI an RFC?

No, and this matters when you are reading other checkers. BIMI is an Internet-Draft, draft-brand-indicators-for-message-identification. It is widely implemented and not a published standard, so tools citing an RFC number for it are citing something that does not exist.

Why is my logo not showing?

Almost always DMARC. BIMI requires enforcement at quarantine or reject; at p=none no receiver will display an indicator no matter how correct the record is. After that, the usual cause is a missing VMC.

Do I need a VMC?

For Gmail and Apple Mail, yes. A Verified Mark Certificate proves the logo is yours and is issued by a handful of authorities at real annual cost. Some receivers display without one.

What image format does BIMI need?

SVG Tiny Portable/Secure, a restricted SVG profile with no scripts, no external references and a square aspect ratio. An ordinary SVG export will be rejected.

Related tests

Every fix on this site is yours to implement. If you would rather someone did it, I take this work directly.