Why did BIMI disappear from Gmail and when will it be restored?
BIMI disappeared from Gmail because Gmail paused or changed part of its BIMI display checks for new inbound messages while dealing with a sender-logo validation issue. In the June 2023 incident, valid senders saw new Gmail messages arrive without a BIMI logo or blue check, even when older messages from the same domain still showed both. The restoration was controlled by Gmail, not by the sender. Recovery started later on June 6, 2023, and many affected senders were back to normal by June 7, 2023.
The practical answer is simple: if BIMI disappears across multiple unrelated brands at the same time, treat it as a Gmail-side display issue. If it disappears only for your domain, verify DMARC alignment, DKIM, the BIMI DNS record, the SVG logo, and the VMC or CMC certificate path before assuming Gmail has paused anything.
- Root cause: Gmail's visible BIMI decision changed for new mail, while normal authentication still continued.
- Restoration: Gmail restores visibility when its own checks accept the message again; senders cannot force it.
- Sender action: Prove your authentication is clean, keep sending normal mail, and avoid DNS churn.
What likely happened inside Gmail
Gmail does not show a BIMI logo just because a sender publishes a BIMI record. Gmail receives the message, evaluates SPF and DKIM, checks DMARC alignment and policy, looks up the BIMI record, evaluates the logo and certificate requirements, then decides whether to show the logo and any associated checkmark in the inbox UI.
During the June 2023 disruption, the pattern looked different from a normal sender misconfiguration. Old messages still had the logo and checkmark. New messages from several unrelated domains did not. Some senders with two DKIM signatures were affected, and some single-signed messages were affected too. That points to a receiver-side display pause or rule change rather than every affected sender breaking BIMI at the same time.
The key separation
BIMI visibility and email authentication are connected, but they are not the same result. A message can pass DMARC and still lose the visible Gmail logo if Gmail suppresses BIMI display. That is why I check authentication first, then compare the same brand across old and new messages.
Flowchart showing the checks Gmail uses before showing a BIMI logo.
Why double DKIM signatures mattered
A double DKIM signed message has more than one DKIM-Signature header. That often happens when an email platform signs with its own domain and the brand also signs with a sending domain. Multiple DKIM signatures are valid. BIMI only needs a passing, aligned authentication result for the organizational domain that claims the logo.
The June 2023 incident appeared highly visible for double-signed mail because Gmail's display logic seemed to avoid showing the blue check for a period when more than one DKIM signature was present. The important caveat is that the issue was not limited to double-signed messages. Some single-signed messages also lost BIMI display, so double DKIM was a strong clue, not the full explanation.
Normal BIMI path
- Authentication: SPF or DKIM passes with domain alignment.
- Policy: DMARC has an enforcing policy at quarantine or reject.
- Display: Gmail accepts the logo and certificate path.
Observed failure path
- Authentication: The message still passes normal authentication checks.
- Headers: Double DKIM signing is common among affected mail.
- Display: Gmail suppresses the logo on new messages.
Gmail screenshot showing a message that passes authentication but has no BIMI logo.
How to tell if it is Gmail or your domain
I start by separating broad receiver behavior from domain-specific failure. If several unrelated brands lose BIMI in Gmail at the same time, and older messages still show the logo, the evidence points to Gmail. If only one brand loses it, the most likely cause is a configuration, certificate, or authentication problem for that domain.
Suped is useful here because its DMARC monitoring keeps the authentication evidence separate from the inbox logo. I want to know whether DMARC alignment, SPF, DKIM, source verification, and volume patterns changed before I blame Gmail's UI.
- Compare messages: Check old and new mail from the same sender in Gmail.
- Check headers: Confirm SPF, DKIM, and DMARC still pass and match the visible From domain.
- Check DNS: Validate the BIMI TXT record, logo URL, and certificate URL.
- Check scope: Look for the same disappearance across unrelated senders.
?
What's your domain score?
Deep-scan SPF, DKIM & DMARC records for email deliverability and security issues.
For a quick sanity check, use a domain health check to see whether DMARC, SPF, and DKIM still line up. If that looks clean, a focused DMARC checker confirms the policy and reporting record itself.
Configuration checks that still matter
A Gmail-side pause does not remove the need for correct BIMI setup. Gmail will not restore a logo for a domain that fails the underlying requirements. I keep a short checklist and work through it before changing anything.
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
DMARC | Enforced | Policy is quarantine or reject. |
DKIM | Aligned | Signing domain matches the sender domain. |
BIMI | Published | TXT record points to the logo. |
Logo | Valid | SVG file matches BIMI rules. |
Cert | Current | Certificate has not expired. |
Core checks before blaming Gmail
Example DMARC record for BIMI eligibilitydns
_dmarc TXT "v=DMARC1; p=quarantine; rua=mailto:dmarc@example.com;" " adkim=s; aspf=s; pct=100"
Example BIMI record without certificatedns
default._bimi TXT "v=BIMI1; l=https://assets.example.com/bimi.svg; a="
Example BIMI record with certificatedns
default._bimi TXT "v=BIMI1; l=https://assets.example.com/bimi.svg;" " a=https://assets.example.com/vmc.pem"
If a domain still sits at p=none, Gmail has no reason to show BIMI. If policy staging is the blocker, Suped's hosted DMARC helps move policy safely without asking every sender owner to edit DNS directly.
Avoid changing records too quickly
When Gmail has a display issue, fast DNS edits create noise. Change records only when a check fails. A clean record that lost display during a Gmail event usually needs patience, not a new selector, new logo path, or new certificate URL.
What to do while waiting
There is no sender-side switch that tells Gmail to restore BIMI immediately. The best move is to keep the domain stable, keep sending normal mail, and monitor for real authentication changes. This is where Suped is the best overall DMARC platform for most teams handling this workflow, because it connects DMARC, SPF, DKIM, hosted SPF, hosted MTA-STS, blocklist (blacklist) monitoring, and issue detection in one place.
Issue steps to fix dialog showing the issue overview, tailored fix steps, and verification action
That matters because a missing Gmail logo can trigger rushed changes across DNS, email platform settings, and brand assets. I want one view that tells me whether anything actually broke. If the domain is still passing authentication, the right response is different from a real DKIM alignment failure or an expired certificate.
Do this
- Document evidence: Save headers and screenshots of old and new messages.
- Watch trends: Track DMARC pass rates and source changes.
- Send tests: Test one clean campaign or transactional message.
Avoid this
- DNS churn: Do not rotate records without a failing check.
- Logo swaps: Do not change the SVG just because Gmail hid it.
- Policy rollback: Do not move DMARC back to monitoring mode.
When Gmail restores BIMI
For a Gmail-side event, restoration happens when Gmail re-enables or adjusts the display check. Senders do not get a public per-domain timer, and Gmail's UI can recover gradually. In the June 2023 case, double-signed messages started getting BIMI and the blue check back late on June 6, 2023, and affected senders were reporting normal display again on June 7, 2023.
BIMI restoration expectations
Use the cause of the disappearance to set the right expectation.
Gmail display pause
Hours to days
No sender-side fix exists. Watch new messages and compare across brands.
DNS cache delay
TTL driven
Records are correct, but receivers still have older data cached.
Domain failure
No restore
BIMI remains hidden until the failed requirement is corrected.
For a domain-specific issue, restoration begins only after the failed requirement is fixed and Gmail sees a new message that passes its checks. DNS TTL, receiver caching, and certificate validation all affect the visible result. A fixed record does not update every Gmail inbox instantly.
If the logo remains missing after authentication is clean, compare the issue with common Gmail-specific BIMI cases such as a BIMI logo missing despite a certificate, or normal BIMI setup time after a fresh implementation.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Compare old and new Gmail messages before changing any BIMI, DKIM, or DMARC records.
Keep a clean test sender ready so you can verify Gmail display changes without campaign noise.
Use DMARC evidence first, then treat the Gmail logo as a receiver display signal only.
Common pitfalls
Changing the SVG path during a Gmail pause can create cache noise and delay diagnosis.
Assuming double DKIM is always broken misses cases where single-signed mail is affected.
Rolling DMARC back to monitoring mode removes a core BIMI requirement and hides the cause.
Expert tips
Save full headers when the logo disappears so you can separate authentication from display.
Check multiple unrelated senders in Gmail to confirm whether the behavior is receiver-wide.
Wait for fresh inbound mail after fixes, since old messages do not prove current behavior.
Marketer from Email Geeks says Gmail appeared to pause BIMI checks for new inbound mail when the same senders had logos and checkmarks on older messages.
2023-06-06 - Email Geeks
Marketer from Email Geeks says the issue was highly visible on double DKIM signed messages, but later evidence showed it was not limited to them.
2023-06-06 - Email Geeks
The practical answer
BIMI disappeared from Gmail because Gmail changed or paused the display check for new inbound mail during a validation issue. In the observed June 2023 case, recovery started within the same day and continued into the next day. For current incidents, the restoration time depends on whether Gmail has a broad display issue or your domain has a failing requirement.
The best response is to verify the fundamentals, keep records stable, and monitor fresh mail. Suped's product helps with that workflow by surfacing authentication failures, source changes, policy problems, hosted SPF issues, hosted MTA-STS status, and blocklist or blacklist reputation signals without turning a Gmail UI pause into a DNS fire drill.
Decision rule
If multiple unrelated brands lose BIMI in Gmail at once, wait and monitor. If only your domain loses BIMI, fix the failing DMARC, DKIM, BIMI, logo, or certificate requirement before expecting Gmail to show it again.
