That's a great question. Brand Indicators for Message Identification, or BIMI, is an excellent way to get your logo to appear directly in your customers' inboxes. It's a powerful tool for brand recognition and building trust. However, one of the most common questions I get is about its compatibility. The short answer is no, BIMI does not work with all email clients, and the landscape of support is constantly evolving.
BIMI is an emerging email specification designed to work on top of DMARC, an email authentication protocol. Before you can even think about getting your logo to show up, your domain must be protected with DMARC. This is a non-negotiable prerequisite.
Which email clients support BIMI?
The good news is that many of the major mailbox providers have adopted BIMI. This means a significant portion of email recipients can see your logo if you've set everything up correctly. The list of providers that have officially rolled out support is strong and continues to grow.
- Apple Mail: With the release of iOS 16 and macOS Ventura, Apple brought BIMI support to its native mail clients, a huge win for adoption.
- Gmail: As one of the largest email providers globally, Gmail's support was a pivotal moment for BIMI.
- Yahoo! & AOL: Part of the same family, these providers were early supporters and have been instrumental in the development of the BIMI standard.
- La Poste: A major provider in France, showing BIMI's international adoption.
- Fastmail: A popular choice for privacy-focused users, Fastmail also supports BIMI.
Providers considering or piloting BIMI
Beyond the providers that have fully implemented BIMI, there are others in a pilot or planning phase. These are providers that have shown public interest in adopting the standard but haven't rolled it out to all users yet. The official BIMI Group website is the best source for this information, though timelines can be fluid.
Providers like Comcast and Seznam.cz have been listed in this 'planning' category. Their eventual adoption would further expand BIMI's reach. It's important to monitor these developments, as a provider moving from 'planning' to 'supported' could mean your logo suddenly appears in millions of new inboxes.
Which major clients do not support BIMI?
The most significant name on the list of non-supporters is Microsoft. As of now, Outlook, Office 365, and other Microsoft email products do not support BIMI. This is a substantial gap, given Microsoft's massive presence in the corporate and personal email space.
Microsoft currently has a proprietary system called 'Brand Cards', which is part of a program that is not open for public sign-up. It's unclear if or when Microsoft will adopt the open BIMI standard. As WP Mail SMTP notes, knowing which providers don't offer support can save you headaches trying to debug why your logo isn't appearing for certain recipients.
Why isn't support universal?
The path to universal adoption for any new internet standard is slow. Mailbox providers are complex systems, and implementing a new feature like BIMI requires significant technical resources and testing. Each provider must weigh the benefits against the implementation costs and their own development priorities.
Some providers may have their own plans for brand identification, while others might be taking a 'wait-and-see' approach as the standard matures. While it can be frustrating, the current state of mixed support is a normal part of the adoption lifecycle for a technology like BIMI.
So, is BIMI worth it?
Absolutely. Even without universal support, the list of providers that do support BIMI covers a huge percentage of consumer inboxes. Implementing BIMI provides a better, more trustworthy experience for customers using Gmail, Apple Mail, and Yahoo. Furthermore, since BIMI requires DMARC at enforcement, the process of becoming BIMI-ready inherently improves your overall email security and deliverability. While your logo won't appear everywhere yet, the benefits for the providers that do support it make it a worthwhile investment for any brand.
