BIMI Lookup
Brand Indicators for Message Identification record.
Enter a value above to run BIMI Lookup
e.g. example.com
Quick answer
BIMI Lookup reads the record at default._bimi.<domain> and shows the brand logo (and optional VMC certificate) that supporting inboxes display next to your messages. A valid record needs an l= link to an SVG logo and usually enforced DMARC; without those, the logo won't show.
BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) is a TXT record published at default._bimi.yourdomain.com that tells inbox providers where to find your brand logo. When a message passes DMARC, supporting mailbox providers can display that logo next to the sender name. This tool fetches your BIMI record, shows the logo (l=) and certificate (a=) URLs, and confirms the record is syntactically valid.
BIMI only works once DMARC enforcement is in place, so this lookup is a good final check after you have SPF, DKIM, and DMARC configured correctly.
How it works
The tool queries the TXT record at the _bimi selector under your domain, using default._bimi as the standard selector. A valid record starts with v=BIMI1 and carries an l= tag pointing to an SVG logo and, for most providers, an a= tag pointing to a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC). We fetch that record over DNS, parse the tags, and display the logo and certificate locations so you can verify each asset is reachable.
How to read the results
Check that v=BIMI1 appears first. The l= URL must serve an SVG Tiny 1.2 (P/S) file over HTTPS; the a= URL must serve a valid VMC PEM chain. An empty l= with a real a= is technically allowed but shows nothing. If both tags are blank, the domain has declined to display a logo. Gmail, Apple Mail, and Yahoo require the a= certificate; without it the logo will not render even when the record parses cleanly.
Why it matters
A rendered brand logo is a visible trust signal in crowded inboxes and can lift open rates. But BIMI is also a forcing function: providers only honor it after DMARC reaches an enforcing policy (p=quarantine or p=reject) applied to all mail. Publishing BIMI therefore confirms your authentication is genuinely locked down, not just monitored. It rewards the work of getting SPF, DKIM, and DMARC fully aligned.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a VMC certificate for BIMI?
- For the major mailbox providers, yes. Gmail, Apple Mail, and Yahoo require a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC) referenced by the a= tag before they show your logo. The VMC proves your organization owns a registered trademark of the logo. Some smaller providers display the l= SVG alone, but do not rely on that if you want broad coverage.
- Why is my logo not showing even though the record is valid?
- The most common cause is DMARC not being at enforcement. Your policy must be p=quarantine or p=reject with pct=100. Other causes: the SVG is not the required SVG Tiny 1.2 P/S profile, the certificate has expired, the assets are not reachable over HTTPS, or the specific provider does not support BIMI yet. Recipient-side caching can also delay changes.
- What selector should I use for BIMI?
- The default selector is default, so the record lives at default._bimi.yourdomain.com. You can define additional selectors and reference them with a BIMI-Selector header on individual messages, but most senders only ever need the default. This tool queries the default selector, which is what nearly all inbox providers look up automatically.