What are the specific requirements for an SVG image to be BIMI compliant?

Getting your logo to display in email inboxes with BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is a fantastic way to boost brand recognition and trust. However, it's not as simple as just uploading your standard PNG logo. Mailbox providers have very specific requirements for the logo file to ensure it's secure, scalable, and renders correctly everywhere. The entire system hinges on a specially crafted SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) file.

Let's walk through the exact requirements for creating a BIMI-compliant SVG image. Getting these details right is the most common hurdle people face when setting up BIMI.

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The most fundamental requirement is the file format. Your logo can't be a JPG, PNG, or GIF; it must be an SVG. More specifically, it needs to adhere to a strict profile known as SVG Portable/Secure (SVG P/S). This is a specialized version of SVG Tiny 1.2, designed to prevent security risks.

BIMI Group says:

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The brand image to be displayed must be in Scaled Vector Graphics (SVG) format. The specific SVG profile used by BIMI is defined as SVG Portable/Secure (SVG P/S).

The 'secure' part of the name is key. This profile heavily restricts what can be included in the file to eliminate potential vulnerabilities. This means the SVG file cannot contain certain elements that could be exploited.

• No scripts: The file cannot contain any JavaScript or other scripting elements.
• No external links: The SVG cannot link to any external assets like images, fonts, or stylesheets.
• No animation: The logo must be a static image.
• No text in paths: All text within the logo must be converted to vector paths, not embedded as live text elements.

Additionally, the final file size of your SVG must be 32 kilobytes or smaller.

Beyond the technical format, there are visual guidelines to ensure your logo looks great in the various email clients that support BIMI. Since clients may crop the logo into different shapes (like a circle or a rounded square), these rules ensure it remains clear and recognizable.

Captain Verify says:

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It should be a Tiny 1.2 SVG file, inscribed in a square, on a plain background, but also able to fit in a circle, as that's how it appears in many mailboxes.

The key design requirements are:

• Square aspect ratio: The image must be perfectly square. For example, 100x100 pixels or 256x256 pixels.
• Solid background: The logo must have a solid, non-transparent background color. Transparency is not allowed, as it can lead to unpredictable rendering against different background colors in dark or light mode.
• Centered and padded: The actual mark or logo should be centered within the square canvas, with some padding around it. This ensures that if a mail client crops the SVG into a circle, no part of your logo gets cut off.

Because an SVG is just an XML file, you can open it in a text editor to verify the specific attributes. Certain attributes and elements must be present for it to be compliant.

When you open your SVG, the root <svg> element should have a baseProfile="tiny-ps" attribute. You'll also need to see version="1.2".

Inside the <svg> tags, there must be a <title> element that contains your organization's name. This should match the name on your Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) if you have one. Lastly, an x="0" and y="0" attribute should generally be avoided on the main <svg> element to ensure proper rendering.

While these requirements might seem daunting, they are essential for creating a standardized, secure, and interoperable system. Getting your SVG right is a critical step towards a successful BIMI implementation.