Why is the wrong BIMI logo appearing in emails and how to fix it?
Matthew Whittaker
Co-founder & CTO, Suped
Published 30 Apr 2025
Updated 16 Aug 2025
7 min read
It can be frustrating when you've invested time in setting up Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI), only to find that the wrong logo is appearing in recipients' inboxes, or perhaps no logo at all. BIMI is designed to enhance brand recognition and trust by displaying your authenticated logo next to your email messages.
When an incorrect logo appears, it undermines the very purpose of BIMI. This issue can stem from a variety of sources, ranging from subtle DNS misconfigurations to unique behaviors of specific mailbox providers. Understanding these root causes is crucial for effective troubleshooting and ensuring your brand's visual identity is correctly represented.
Understanding BIMI and its dependencies
BIMI functions by allowing organizations to publish their brand logo in their DNS, alongside a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) for certain providers. For a logo to display, the sending domain must first pass DMARC authentication with a policy of 'quarantine' or 'reject'. This robust authentication is the foundation upon which BIMI builds, ensuring that only legitimate senders can display their logos.
The reliance on a strong DMARC policy is critical. If your DMARC record isn't properly configured or if emails aren't aligning correctly, the BIMI logo will not appear, or an unintended logo might be displayed if a mailbox provider falls back to other display logic. You can monitor your DMARC reports to identify any authentication failures that could impede BIMI.
Additionally, a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) is a key component for many major mailbox providers, including Gmail. A VMC proves that your logo is trademarked and that you have the right to use it, adding an extra layer of trust and verification required by these providers. Without it, your logo simply won't appear where a VMC is mandated.
Common culprits behind incorrect logo display
One of the most frequent reasons for an incorrect BIMI logo is a simple misconfiguration in the DNS TXT record. This record specifies the location of your SVG logo file and your VMC. Even a minor typo or an incorrect URL can prevent the logo from displaying or, in some rare cases, cause a mail client to incorrectly associate a logo from a different, similarly named domain, if that domain's logo is cached or determined through other heuristics.
Another common pitfall lies in the SVG logo itself. BIMI has strict requirements for the SVG image format, specifically requiring SVG Tiny 1.2. If your SVG file isn't compliant, email clients will simply ignore it, resulting in no logo or a fallback logo appearing. This is often an overlooked detail that trips up many organizations.
Correct SVG compliance
Format: Saved as SVG Tiny 1.2, ensuring proper rendering.
Shape: Often requires a perfect square aspect ratio.
Security: No external references or scripts allowed within the file.
Accessibility: Optimized for various display sizes and devices.
Incorrect SVG issues
Non-compliant: Not saved as SVG Tiny 1.2, leading to rendering failures.
Aspect ratio: Incorrect dimensions can cause distortion or rejection.
Embedded elements: Scripts or external links in the SVG are often stripped or cause rejection.
Caching: Old or incorrect SVG versions can be cached by providers.
Sometimes, the issue isn't with your BIMI setup at all. Mailbox providers like Yahoo use their own internal algorithms or proprietary logic to display logos, especially if a BIMI record is absent or misconfigured. This can lead to a scenario where a logo from a different, unrelated organization appears if their systems mistakenly link your domain to another entity with a similar name, or if they have their own cached logos for well-known brands. This is a common issue that often requires direct communication with the provider's support team to resolve.
Diagnosing and resolving BIMI logo issues
The first step in troubleshooting is to thoroughly check your BIMI DNS TXT record. Ensure that the v=, l=, and a= tags (for VMC) are present and correctly formatted. The URLs for your SVG logo and VMC must be accessible via HTTPS and configured correctly to allow public access. Here's an example of a BIMI record:
Example BIMI DNS TXT recordDNS
default._bimi.yourdomain.com IN TXT "v=BIMI1; l=https://yourdomain.com/bimi/logo.svg; a=https://yourdomain.com/bimi/certificate.pem;"
Next, validate your SVG file. Many online tools can check if your SVG meets the SVG Tiny 1.2 profile. The BIMI Group provides resources for this validation. Pay close attention to embedded scripts or external references within the SVG, as these are typically disallowed and will prevent your logo from rendering. If you suspect issues, you can refer to our guide on validating your BIMI SVG and certificate.
Finally, ensure your DMARC implementation is robust and stable. Any failures in DMARC authentication will prevent BIMI from working. Review your DMARC aggregate reports regularly to catch any alignment or authentication issues. An improperly configured DMARC policy, especially one that is too lax, can inadvertently lead to BIMI not displaying, or worse, incorrect logos being shown through a mailbox provider's alternative display methods.
Beyond the record: Provider-specific considerations
Not all email clients and providers handle BIMI the same way. While Gmail and Yahoo (including AOL) are prominent supporters, their specific requirements can differ. For instance, Gmail often requires a VMC, while Yahoo might display a logo even without a VMC if other trust signals are strong, or based on their own internal matching systems. This flexibility on Yahoo's part can sometimes lead to the wrong logo appearing if there are similarly named companies or if their system makes an incorrect association. This is why troubleshooting Yahoo's logo display can be tricky.
Your sender reputation also plays a significant role, particularly with providers like Gmail. Even with a perfect BIMI setup, a low sender reputation or an IP address on a email blacklist (or blocklist) could prevent your logo from displaying. This is because BIMI is not just about technical configuration, but also about trust. If your emails are consistently landing in spam folders or if you're on a email blacklist, your logo might be suppressed. In such cases, the problem extends beyond BIMI and into broader email deliverability issues. Yahoo Senders often advises direct contact if their proprietary systems are causing logo confusion, especially with similar organization names. Microsoft does not directly support BIMI at this time, so any logo display there would be through other means. Knowing which email clients support BIMI is important.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Always validate your BIMI DNS TXT record for syntax errors and correct URLs.
Ensure your SVG logo file strictly adheres to the SVG Tiny 1.2 profile, with no external links.
Maintain a strong sender reputation and DMARC compliance to ensure consistent logo display.
Common pitfalls
Forgetting to update the BIMI record after changing logo URLs or VMC paths.
Using a non-compliant SVG format that email clients cannot render.
Having a DMARC policy that isn't at p=quarantine or p=reject.
Expert tips
Regularly monitor your DMARC reports to catch any authentication issues impacting BIMI.
Reach out to mailbox provider support teams, especially for unique cases with similar company names.
Understand that some providers have proprietary logo display mechanisms that aren't BIMI-based.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says Yahoo also uses their own internal systems to display logos, not just BIMI records.
2022-04-07 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says many large companies display logos on Yahoo without having BIMI configured.
2022-04-07 - Email Geeks
Ensuring your brand's visual identity
Ensuring the correct BIMI logo appears in emails is a crucial step in building brand trust and enhancing your email deliverability. While the setup might seem complex due to various technical requirements and provider-specific nuances, the effort is well worth it for the added brand visibility and security it provides.
By diligently checking your DNS records, validating your SVG files, maintaining strong DMARC compliance, and understanding the specific behaviors of major mailbox providers, you can effectively diagnose and resolve issues that lead to an incorrect BIMI logo display. This proactive approach helps secure your brand's visual identity across the email ecosystem.
Gmail. A VMC proves that your logo is trademarked and that you have the right to use it, adding an extra layer of trust and verification required by these providers. Without it, your logo simply won't appear where a VMC is mandated.
Yahoo use their own internal algorithms or proprietary logic to display logos, especially if a BIMI record is absent or misconfigured. This can lead to a scenario where a logo from a different, unrelated organization appears if their systems mistakenly link your domain to another entity with a similar name, or if they have their own cached logos for well-known brands. This is a common issue that often requires direct communication with the provider's support team to resolve.
Gmail and 
AOL) are prominent supporters, their specific requirements can differ. For instance, 
Microsoft does not directly support BIMI at this time, so any logo display there would be through other means. Knowing which email clients support BIMI is important.
