Why is the wrong BIMI logo displaying in Yahoo and AOL and how can I fix it?
Michael Ko
Co-founder & CEO, Suped
Published 28 May 2025
Updated 16 Aug 2025
6 min read
It can be incredibly frustrating to launch a new email authentication standard like BIMI, only to find that the wrong brand logo is displaying in your recipients' inboxes, especially on platforms like Yahoo and AOL. You've done the work, set up your DNS records, and yet, a logo that isn't yours, or an outdated one, appears instead.
BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is designed to let your authenticated emails display your brand's logo next to them in the inbox, enhancing trust and brand recognition. It's a powerful tool for visual branding, but its proper implementation relies heavily on correctly configured DMARC, DNS records, and SVG logo files.
When the wrong logo appears, it often points to a mismatch between what your BIMI record specifies and what Yahoo or AOL's systems are recognizing or caching. This guide will walk you through the common reasons for this discrepancy and provide clear steps to ensure your correct logo is displayed.
How Yahoo and AOL handle BIMI logos
Yahoo and AOL are significant adopters of BIMI, actively displaying brand logos in their mobile mail applications and expanding support. However, their systems have a unique way of handling logos. If your brand has a history of sending authenticated email to their users, Yahoo might already have a logo on file for you, possibly from a proprietary solution. This means that even without a perfect BIMI setup, a logo might appear, but it could be one they've cached or associated with your domain previously.
This can lead to the unexpected display of an incorrect logo if your new BIMI record hasn't fully propagated, or if there's a slight misconfiguration that prevents Yahoo from prioritizing your BIMI-specified logo over their existing cached one. The goal, then, is to ensure your BIMI record is so impeccably configured that it overrides any alternative logo Yahoo might otherwise display.
Understanding this behavior is crucial. It's not necessarily a sign that BIMI isn't working at all, but rather that Yahoo's systems are attempting to provide a brand logo based on their internal trust mechanisms. Your task is to guide them to display the precise logo you intend.
Yahoo's proprietary logo display
Yahoo (and AOL) may display a logo from their own internal systems or cache, even if your BIMI record is present. This happens if they have an existing association with your domain and trust your sending reputation. Your BIMI record must be perfectly configured to ensure your desired logo takes precedence.
Diagnosing the incorrect BIMI logo display
When the wrong BIMI logo appears, the root cause is typically a subtle misconfiguration that prevents Yahoo or AOL from correctly reading or prioritizing your BIMI DNS record. Even if online tools confirm your record's existence, specific details can lead to display issues with particular mailbox providers.
One of the most common issues is the incorrect placement or syntax of your BIMI DNS TXT record. It must be at the correct subdomain (usually default._bimi) for your sending domain, and all tags (`v=`, `l=`, `a=`) must be correctly formatted. A small typo or an extra space can invalidate the record in the eyes of a Mailbox Provider like Yahoo.
Another frequent culprit is the SVG logo file itself. BIMI has very strict requirements for SVG images, including that they must be square, use HTTPS, be publicly accessible, and not contain any external references or scripting. If your SVG isn't perfectly compliant, or if the URL specified in your BIMI record is incorrect or inaccessible, the logo won't render as intended. Also, ensuring your BIMI SVG is validated is critical.
Finally, the foundation of BIMI is DMARC. Your domain must have a DMARC policy set to `p=quarantine` or `p=reject` for your organizational domain. If your DMARC is still in a monitoring-only state (`p=none`), or if your email authentication (SPF and DKIM) is not correctly aligned with DMARC, Yahoo (and other providers) will not display your BIMI logo. This means DMARC monitoring is key.
Issue
Description
How to check
Incorrect DNS record
The BIMI TXT record is misspelled, placed at the wrong subdomain, or has incorrect tags.
Verify the record at default._bimi.yourdomain.com.
Invalid SVG file
The SVG image doesn't meet BIMI specifications (e.g., square, HTTPS, no external links).
default._bimi.yourdomain.com IN TXT "v=BIMI1;l=https://yourdomain.com/your-logo.svg;a=https://yourdomain.com/your-vmc.pem;"
Steps to fix the wrong BIMI logo
To fix the wrong BIMI logo displaying on Yahoo or AOL, start by meticulously re-verifying your BIMI DNS record. Ensure it's published at default._bimi.yourdomain.com and contains the correct `v=BIMI1` version tag and the `l=` tag pointing to the exact, publicly accessible URL of your SVG logo file. Double-check for any extraneous characters or incorrect subdomains.
Next, pay close attention to your SVG file. It's often the source of subtle issues. Ensure your SVG is square, uses HTTPS, and is free of external references, scripts, or non-BIMI specific elements. You can use online BIMI SVG validators to confirm compliance. If you've changed the SVG, confirm the new URL is reflected in your DNS record.
Crucially, confirm your DMARC policy is enforced. For BIMI to work, your DMARC policy must be set to `p=quarantine` or `p=reject` for the domain from which emails are being sent. If it's still at `p=none`, or if your SPF and DKIM authentication records are not properly aligning with DMARC, your logo will not appear, or the wrong one might persist. Ensure all your emails are passing DMARC authentication before expecting your BIMI logo to display consistently.
Common pitfalls
DNS issues: Publishing the BIMI TXT record at the wrong subdomain or with syntax errors.
SVG compliance: SVG logo file not adhering to all strict BIMI specifications (e.g., size, content, accessibility).
DMARC policy: Not having a DMARC policy set to enforcement (`p=quarantine` or `p=reject`).
Propagation delays: Expecting immediate changes after updating DNS records.
Best practices
Double-check DNS: Use a reliable DNS lookup tool to confirm your BIMI TXT record is visible and accurate.
Validate SVG rigorously: Use the official BIMI SVG checker or similar tools to ensure full compliance.
Ensure DMARC enforcement: Transition your DMARC policy to `quarantine` or `reject` after successful monitoring.
Be patient and proactive: Allow time for propagation and reach out to Mailbox Providers if the issue persists.
Finally, remember that DNS changes take time to propagate across the internet. Even after you've made all the necessary corrections, it can take anywhere from a few hours to several days for Yahoo and AOL's systems to update their cached records. Patience is key. If, after a reasonable amount of time (e.g., a week), the correct logo still isn't displaying, consider reaching out to Yahoo's support for BIMI-related issues, as they may be able to manually kick their systems to refresh your logo.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Confirm the BIMI DNS record is correctly placed and points to the right SVG URL.
Ensure your SVG logo adheres strictly to BIMI specifications, including square dimensions.
Verify DMARC is set to `p=quarantine` or `p=reject` for your domain.
Common pitfalls
Forgetting that Yahoo may display a cached or internal logo if BIMI isn't fully propagated.
Not contacting Yahoo's BIMI team directly if the issue persists after thorough checks and propagation time.
Incorrectly formatting the SVG file or hosting it on an inaccessible server.
Expert tips
If a logo is already showing (even if wrong), it means traffic is trusted; the correct BIMI logo will eventually pull automatically once all criteria are met.
Sometimes, Mailbox Providers need a "kick" or manual refresh to pick up the updated BIMI record faster.
Set client expectations that BIMI propagation and logo display can take up to a week, even with direct intervention.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says: I'm having a random BIMI issue, even though tools say everything is correctly set up, except for the Verified Mark Certificate. When testing to Yahoo and AOL, the displayed image is not the one we're pointing to in the BIMI record. While happy a logo is showing, it seems Yahoo pulled one at random. I've verified the SVG points to the correct image and even created a new one, but the issue persists. Any thoughts on what's going on?
2022-07-19 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says: You can email the BIMI team about this to `mail-questions@yahooinc.com`.
2022-07-19 - Email Geeks
Achieving consistent BIMI logo display
Achieving the correct BIMI logo display on Yahoo and AOL requires a thorough understanding of BIMI's technical requirements and the specific behaviors of these mailbox providers. It boils down to precise DNS record configuration, strict adherence to SVG file specifications, and a robust, enforced DMARC policy.
By following these troubleshooting steps and maintaining consistent email authentication practices, you can ensure your brand's correct logo consistently appears, reinforcing trust and enhancing your brand's presence in the inbox. Remember that ongoing monitoring of your email deliverability is key to long-term success.
