How do mailbox providers display BIMI?
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When your BIMI setup passes all the checks, here's where providers actually show your logo. Gmail displays it as the sender's avatar in the inbox list and again in the email detail view. On desktop or mobile, it's that circular image next to your sender name. Yahoo Mail shows it in both the inbox and message view, and it doesn't require the extra verification layer called a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC). Apple Mail added BIMI support starting with iOS 16, displaying logos in the mail app for anyone using a newer iPhone or iPad.
But The real question isn't just where it shows up. it's whether your setup will actually trigger display in the first place. That requires three things. DMARC alignment (your SPF or DKIM signature matches your sender domain), DMARC enforcement set to quarantine or reject, and a properly formatted SVG logo in your DNS record. Once those pieces align, the mailbox provider fetches your logo and caches it. You can check if everything's configured correctly with BIMI setup or whether you need a VMC.
If you've got all the prerequisites in place but the logo still isn't showing, check what DMARC alignment actually means for your domain with DMARC alignment basics.
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