What are the requirements for BIMI logo display on Yahoo?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 7 Aug 2025
Updated 16 Aug 2025
5 min read
Getting your brand logo to appear next to your emails in recipients' inboxes, especially on major platforms like Yahoo Mail, significantly boosts brand recognition and trust. This is made possible through Brand Indicators for Message Identification, or BIMI. While the core concept of BIMI is standardized, each mailbox provider (like Yahoo) has its own specific nuances and requirements for successful logo display.
We often find that senders have completed the basic BIMI setup, yet their logo isn't appearing where expected. This is particularly common with Yahoo, which has a few distinct considerations. Let's delve into what Yahoo (and AOL Mail, which is also part of Yahoo Inc.) looks for to ensure your logo shows up reliably.
Foundation first: DMARC and domain reputation
Before anything else, your domain must have a robust DMARC implementation. BIMI builds upon DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance), which means your emails must consistently pass DMARC authentication checks. For your BIMI logo to appear on Yahoo, your DMARC policy (p=) needs to be set to either quarantine or reject. A policy of p=none, while useful for monitoring, will not enable BIMI display.
Crucially, Yahoo places significant emphasis on your sender reputation. Even with all the technical configurations in place, if your domain's reputation is poor, your BIMI logo might not be displayed. This means maintaining a healthy sending environment, avoiding spam complaints, and adhering to best practices for email deliverability. They will only display logos for senders with positive reputation and sufficient email volume, particularly for bulk emailing, not typically for person-to-person (P2P) emails. If you’re a high-volume B2C sender, ensuring your emails have a good history with Yahoo is vital. I covered this recently with a guide on understanding your domain reputation.
BIMI and subdomain considerations
BIMI records, like DMARC, are designed to be inherited by subdomains. If you have a BIMI record set up at your root domain, it should theoretically trickle down and apply to your subdomains as well. However, some edge cases might require direct intervention or a specific BIMI record at the subdomain level if you encounter issues. It's always best practice to ensure your DMARC and BIMI records are correctly configured for both your root domain and any subdomains you're actively sending from.
SVG logo and DNS record specifics
The visual component of BIMI, your brand logo, has strict formatting requirements. Yahoo, like other BIMI-supporting providers, expects your logo to be in SVG Tiny 1.2 Portable/Secure (SVG P/S) format. This specific SVG profile is designed for security and ensures consistent rendering across different email clients.
Logo image requirements
Square aspect ratio: Your logo must be an exact square. Ensure there's some white space around the logo itself, as it may be displayed in a circular or rounded format by email clients.
Solid background: Transparent backgrounds can cause display issues, so use a solid background color.
No interactive elements: The SVG should be purely static, without any scripts or animations.
File size: Keep the SVG file size under 32KB for optimal loading. You can find more details on SVG file requirements for BIMI in a separate guide.
DNS record configuration
Your BIMI record is a TXT record that you publish in your domain's DNS. This record points to the location of your SVG logo file. Here's a typical format:
Example BIMI DNS TXT RecordDNS
default._bimi.yourdomain.com IN TXT "v=BIMI1;l=https://yourdomain.com/your-logo.svg;a=https://yourdomain.com/your-vmc.pem;"
The l= tag points to your SVG logo URL, and a= points to your Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) if you have one. It's important to host your SVG file on a secure (HTTPS) server.
While Yahoo (and AOL) has historically not required a VMC for BIMI logo display, they do acknowledge that if a BIMI record includes a VMC, they will use it to inform their systems. Other providers, notably Gmail, require a VMC for logo display. Therefore, having a VMC is a worthwhile investment for broader BIMI adoption. You can find more information about this in their official BIMI documentation.
Troubleshooting common display issues
It can be frustrating when you've done all the setup, and your BIMI logo still isn't showing up. One key factor is time. While DNS changes propagate relatively quickly, it can take a few days to a few weeks for mailbox providers like Yahoo to fully process and display your BIMI logo after the records are published. This delay is often due to caching and internal verification processes.
If your logo isn't appearing after a reasonable waiting period, several factors could be at play. Your sender reputation is critical, as mentioned earlier. If your domain's reputation has recently been placed on a blacklist or blocklist, or if your spam complaint rates are high, Yahoo might suppress your logo even if the BIMI record is technically correct. They maintain internal reputation systems (separate from public blocklists or blacklists) that influence deliverability and feature display.
Issue
Yahoo's perspective
Actionable checks
Logo not appearing
Yahoo prioritizes sender reputation and consistent email volume.
Verify DMARC enforcement (p=quarantine/reject). Ensure you have sufficient, quality sending volume. Check your sending reputation on Google Postmaster Tools for your domain.
Incorrect logo or no logo
Yahoo retrieves the logo from the specified SVG URL in your BIMI record.
Double-check your BIMI DNS record for typos. Validate your SVG file rigorously to ensure it meets BIMI requirements, particularly SVG Tiny 1.2 P/S.
If you've checked all the technical requirements and maintain a good sender reputation, but your logo is still missing, contacting Yahoo's sender support directly at mail-questions@yahooinc.com is often the next step. While they say there's no manual step during the beta, some edge cases might still need a nudge to resolve. They can provide specific insights into why your logo isn't displaying.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Ensure your domain has a strong DMARC policy (quarantine or reject) enforced for your emails.
Maintain consistent, positive sending reputation with Yahoo by avoiding spam complaints and bounces.
Host your SVG logo file on a secure HTTPS server for reliable access by mailbox providers.
Regularly monitor your DMARC reports to identify and address any authentication failures that could impact BIMI display.
Consider contacting Yahoo sender support directly if all technical requirements are met and your logo still isn't showing.
Common pitfalls
Using a DMARC policy of 'p=none', which is insufficient for BIMI logo display on Yahoo.
Not maintaining a consistent positive sender reputation, leading to logo suppression.
Assuming a root domain BIMI record automatically applies perfectly to all subdomains without verification.
Improper SVG format (e.g., incorrect sizing, transparent backgrounds, or interactive elements).
Expecting immediate logo display, as propagation can take days or even weeks for some providers.
Expert tips
Validate your SVG logo against the BIMI Group's specific SVG Tiny 1.2 P/S requirements.
If using multiple brands or subdomains, ensure your BIMI DNS records use appropriate selectors for each.
Even though Yahoo doesn't strictly require a VMC, having one enhances trust and prepares for other providers.
Actively track your email volume and engagement metrics, as Yahoo uses these to determine logo display eligibility.
For persistent issues, compile all your domain, DMARC, and BIMI record details before contacting support.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says Yahoo requires a positive reputation for bulk emailing to display BIMI logos.
2022-04-27 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says BIMI logos are not typically applied to person-to-person (P2P) emails by Yahoo.
2022-04-27 - Email Geeks
Maintaining BIMI readiness
Successfully displaying your BIMI logo on Yahoo isn't a one-time setup, but rather an ongoing commitment to email best practices. This includes continuous monitoring of your DMARC reports, ensuring your email authentication is consistently passing, and keeping a close eye on your sender reputation. Any dips in reputation or increased spam complaints (even if you're not on a public blacklist or blocklist) could lead to your logo being suppressed.
For ongoing success, regularly review your BIMI DNS record to ensure it's still correctly pointing to your logo and VMC (if applicable). If you ever change your brand logo or move your SVG file, you'll need to update your BIMI record accordingly. Consistency and compliance are key to long-term BIMI display across all supporting email clients.
By understanding and adhering to Yahoo's specific requirements, focusing on a strong sender reputation, and ensuring accurate technical configuration of your BIMI and DMARC records, you significantly increase your chances of having your brand logo proudly displayed in Yahoo Mail inboxes.
AOL Mail, which is also part of Yahoo Inc.) looks for to ensure your logo shows up reliably.
While Yahoo (and AOL) has historically not required a VMC for BIMI logo display, they do acknowledge that if a BIMI record includes a VMC, they will use it to inform their systems. Other providers, notably Gmail, require a VMC for logo display. Therefore, having a VMC is a worthwhile investment for broader BIMI adoption. You can find more information about this in their official BIMI documentation.
Yahoo prioritizes sender reputation and consistent email volume.
Google Postmaster Tools for your domain.
