Does Microsoft Outlook support BIMI for displaying brand logos in email?
Michael Ko
Co-founder & CEO, Suped
Published 5 Jun 2025
Updated 19 Aug 2025
8 min read
Many businesses strive to display their brand logo directly in email inboxes, enhancing trust and recognition. Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) is an email standard designed to make this possible. It allows a verified logo to appear alongside an email in supporting mail clients, but whether Microsoft Outlook supports BIMI is a frequently asked question.
The promise of BIMI is clear: a prominent logo next to your email in the recipient's inbox, signaling authenticity and improving brand recall. However, the reality of its implementation across all major email providers is not uniform.
Despite its growing adoption by providers like Gmail and Yahoo Mail, Microsoft has historically taken a different approach to displaying sender identity and verification.
Microsoft's stance on BIMI
Currently, Microsoft Outlook does not officially support BIMI for displaying brand logos. This means that even if you have a properly configured BIMI record, your logo will generally not appear in Microsoft products, including Outlook and Office 365, as it would in other supporting email clients.
Microsoft has historically pursued its own proprietary methods for sender identification and enhanced email experiences. For instance, they previously had initiatives like Bing Pages and Actionable Messages that aimed to provide rich experiences within the inbox, often distinct from broader industry standards like BIMI or AMP for Email. This independent approach means that the mechanisms for displaying logos and verified sender information in Outlook are different from those relying on BIMI.
While there have been discussions and requests from the email community for Microsoft to adopt BIMI, as of now, there are no public announcements or concrete plans indicating full support for the standard across all Outlook platforms. This can be frustrating for brands investing in BIMI for consistent branding across all major email clients.
How logos currently appear in Outlook
Despite Outlook's lack of native BIMI support, brand logos can still appear for some senders, particularly those participating in older, discontinued Microsoft programs. If you had previously set up your logo through programs like Microsoft's Verified Icons or Bing Pages (which are now on hold or deprecated), your logo might still display in Outlook consumer versions (like Hotmail).
However, these are legacy implementations and are not open to new senders. This means that new brands or those who didn't enroll in these older programs cannot leverage them to display their logos in Outlook.
For the majority of senders, the primary way to influence logo display in Outlook remains through a robust sender reputation and ensuring strong email authentication, including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Even though BIMI specifically is not supported, having proper authentication can contribute to a positive sending reputation, which in turn might influence how Microsoft treats your emails and displays sender information, including potentially a default avatar derived from your profile or the first letter of your brand name.
It's important to differentiate between official BIMI support, which relies on a verified mark certificate (VMC) and a BIMI DNS record, and other proprietary methods email clients use to display sender avatars. Outlook often defaults to the first letter of the sender's name or a generic icon if no other branding mechanism is recognized.
The importance of email authentication (DMARC, SPF, DKIM)
Even without direct BIMI support in Outlook, implementing email authentication standards like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC is critical for your email program. BIMI itself requires a DMARC policy at enforcement (p=quarantine or p=reject) to function.
SPF (Sender Policy Framework): Authorizes sending domains, preventing unauthorized use of your domain for sending email.
DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail): Adds a digital signature to your emails, verifying that the email content has not been tampered with in transit.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance): Builds upon SPF and DKIM, providing instructions to receiving mail servers on how to handle emails that fail authentication and offering reporting capabilities. You can learn more about the benefits of implementing DMARC.
Even if your logo isn't appearing via BIMI in Outlook, these authentication measures are crucial for overall email deliverability and preventing your emails from being flagged as spam or falling into a blocklist (or blacklist). A strong authentication posture helps build domain reputation, which is a key factor in how mailbox providers like Microsoft filter incoming mail. You can also monitor your blocklist status to ensure continued positive reputation.
Alternatives and best practices for Outlook
While Microsoft may not support BIMI directly, there are other strategies you can employ to enhance your brand's presence in the Outlook inbox and across other email clients.
Integrate logos within email content: Always include your logo prominently in your email's header, footer, or signature. While this doesn't appear next to the sender name in the inbox list, it reinforces your brand once the email is opened.
Maintain a strong sender reputation: This is paramount for deliverability to all mailbox providers, including Outlook. Consistent sending practices, low complaint rates, and avoiding spam traps contribute to a good reputation. Tools like Google Postmaster Tools help monitor this.
Consider other identity verification programs: Stay updated on any new initiatives Microsoft might introduce in the future that could allow for brand logo display. Always ensure your DMARC policy is set to quarantine or reject, as this is often a prerequisite for advanced sender features.
While Outlook may not support BIMI yet, it doesn't diminish the importance of BIMI's overall value for other major mailbox providers. BIMI helps build trust and brand recognition, making it a worthwhile investment for any sender serious about their email marketing. We recommend having it configured correctly for the platforms that do support it.
Why Microsoft is a BIMI holdout
I often hear questions about why Microsoft seems to be an outlier in not adopting widely accepted email standards like BIMI. It's a complex issue, as Microsoft has a long history of developing its own solutions, such as Sender ID for authentication or Actionable Messages as an alternative to AMP for Email.
While some might view this as a 'bad habit,' it's often rooted in their vast ecosystem and established infrastructure. Integrating a new external standard like BIMI into such a large and complex environment may involve significant technical and strategic challenges. However, the benefits of industry-wide interoperability and enhanced trust for all email users would certainly be substantial.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Always ensure your DMARC policy is at enforcement (p=quarantine or p=reject) as it's a fundamental requirement for BIMI to function correctly on supporting platforms.
Prioritize maintaining a strong sender reputation across all mailbox providers by sending valuable, expected mail and avoiding spam traps.
Include your brand logo directly within your email's design (header, footer, signature) to ensure brand visibility even in clients without BIMI support.
Common pitfalls
Expecting BIMI logos to appear in Outlook even after implementation, leading to confusion and frustration.
Neglecting core email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) when focusing solely on BIMI for logo display.
Assuming that a logo appearing in Outlook is due to BIMI, when it might be a legacy program or a local contact setting.
Expert tips
Engage with Microsoft's developer communities or provide feedback through their official channels to express interest in BIMI adoption.
Focus on delivering highly engaging and relevant content to your subscribers to build a strong positive sending reputation.
Educate your team on the nuances of BIMI support across different email clients to manage expectations and strategize accordingly.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says they doubt Microsoft has adopted BIMI; it is more likely using their own approach to displaying logos.
2024-02-11 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says they hope Microsoft adopts BIMI at some point, but until then, they will continue to use alternative methods.
2024-02-11 - Email Geeks
The path forward for brand visibility
While Microsoft Outlook does not currently support BIMI for displaying brand logos, it is essential for senders to understand that this does not diminish the overall importance of BIMI in the broader email ecosystem. For email clients that do support BIMI, it offers significant benefits in terms of brand recognition and trust by providing a verified visual indicator for your messages. You can check which mailbox providers support BIMI.
Regardless of BIMI support in specific clients, a robust email authentication setup including SPF, DKIM, and DMARC remains the foundation of good email deliverability. These standards help prevent phishing and spoofing, contributing to a safer email environment for everyone and ensuring your legitimate emails reach the inbox. By focusing on these core principles and integrating your brand's logo within the email content itself, you can still achieve strong brand presence and maintain recipient trust, even in environments that do not yet universally adopt BIMI.
Gmail and 
Yahoo Mail, Microsoft has historically taken a different approach to displaying sender identity and verification.
Microsoft products, including Outlook and Office 365, as it would in other supporting email clients.
