BIMI logo: create a compliant SVG Tiny-PS file in 4 steps

⚡TL;DR

• BIMI requires the SVG Tiny 1.2 PS (Portable/Secure) profile: no script, no external link, no embedded image
• A BIMI logo must be square, centered, with a viewBox of 0 0 X X and the baseProfile="tiny-ps" attribute
• Use the CaptainDNS SVG Tiny-PS converter to automatically clean and validate your file

Your domain passes DMARC, your BIMI record is published, but your logo still doesn't show up in Gmail or Yahoo Mail. The problem often lies in the SVG file itself: BIMI doesn't accept just any SVG. It requires a very specific profile called SVG Tiny 1.2 PS (Portable/Secure).

This profile forbids anything that could pose a security risk: JavaScript, links to external resources, web fonts, animations. A logo exported from Illustrator or Figma almost always contains forbidden elements. Without cleanup, the mail provider simply ignores the file.

This guide walks you through the process from source file preparation to final validation. It's aimed at sysadmins, email marketing teams, and SMB CTOs who want to set up BIMI without spending three days on it.

What is the SVG Tiny-PS format?

Why can't you just upload any SVG? Because mail providers treat logos as potential attack vectors. SVG Tiny 1.2 is a subset of the SVG standard defined by the W3C, originally designed for resource-constrained devices (phones, PDAs). The PS profile (Portable/Secure) adds security restrictions specific to BIMI:

• No script (<script> is forbidden)
• No external link (<image>, <use xlink:href="http://..."> are forbidden)
• No interactivity (<a>, onclick events are forbidden)
• No animation (<animate>, <set> are forbidden)

The logic is simple: a logo displayed in an inbox must never execute code or load external resources. That's an attack surface mail providers refuse to open.

Differences from a standard SVG

Feature	Standard SVG	SVG Tiny-PS
JavaScript	Yes	No
External links (<image>)	Yes	No
Animations	Yes	No
Filters (<filter>)	Yes	No
Simple linear/radial gradients	Yes	Yes
Basic shapes (<rect>, <circle>, <path>)	Yes	Yes
Text (<text>)	Yes	Yes
Groups (<g>)	Yes	Yes
ClipPath	Yes	Yes

In practice, you keep everything you need for a logo (shapes, colors, text). You lose everything that could serve as an attack vector.

Technical requirements for a BIMI logo

Dimensions and ratio

A BIMI logo must be square. There is no required pixel dimension, but the viewBox must have a 1:1 ratio:

<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
     version="1.2"
     baseProfile="tiny-ps"
     viewBox="0 0 100 100">

Most implementations use a viewBox of 0 0 100 100 or 0 0 512 512. What matters is that the last two values are identical.

Required XML attributes

Four attributes are required on the root <svg> element:

Attribute	Required value	Purpose
xmlns	http://www.w3.org/2000/svg	SVG namespace
version	1.2	SVG Tiny version
baseProfile	tiny-ps	BIMI security profile
viewBox	0 0 X X (square)	Logical dimensions

A missing baseProfile="tiny-ps" is the most common error. Without this attribute, mail providers reject the file even if its content is valid.

Allowed and forbidden elements

Allowed: <svg>, <g>, <defs>, <title>, <desc>, <rect>, <circle>, <ellipse>, <line>, <polyline>, <polygon>, <path>, <text>, <tspan>, <linearGradient>, <radialGradient>, <stop>, <solidColor>, <clipPath>, <use> (local reference only)

Forbidden: <script>, <image>, <foreignObject>, <a>, <animate>, <animateTransform>, <animateColor>, <set>, <filter>, <feGaussianBlur>, <pattern>, <mask>, <symbol>, <marker>, <switch>, <cursor>

Creating a BIMI logo in 4 steps

Step 1: prepare the source file

Start with a clean vector logo. Regardless of the tool (Illustrator, Inkscape, Figma, Affinity Designer), the goal is to produce an SVG with:

• A square artboard (512x512 px or 100x100)
• The logo centered in the frame
• No critical transparent areas (the logo will be displayed on a variable background depending on the mail client)
• Flattened shapes: convert text to paths (<path>) if the font is not standard

Tip: export as "standard SVG" from your tool. Don't try to export directly as Tiny-PS, since no design tool natively supports this profile.

Step 2: clean the SVG

An SVG exported from a design tool almost always contains unnecessary elements:

• Editor metadata: Illustrator comments, <metadata> tags, xmlns:inkscape namespace
• CSS styles: <style> blocks with classes
• Unnecessary attributes: id, data-name, xml:space
• Invisible elements: empty groups, unused masks

Example of a raw SVG exported from Illustrator:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!-- Generator: Adobe Illustrator 28.0 -->
<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
     xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"
     viewBox="0 0 512 512">
  <defs>
    <style>.cls-1{fill:#0EA5E9;}</style>
  </defs>
  <metadata><!-- ... --></metadata>
  <g id="Layer_1" data-name="Layer 1">
    <circle class="cls-1" cx="256" cy="256" r="200"/>
  </g>
</svg>

This file will fail BIMI validation: it's missing version, baseProfile, and it contains a <style> block and <metadata>.

Step 3: convert with the CaptainDNS converter

Rather than cleaning manually (risk of forgetting something), use an automatic converter. The CaptainDNS SVG Tiny-PS converter:

1. Adds missing attributes (version="1.2", baseProfile="tiny-ps")
2. Removes forbidden elements (scripts, animations, external images)
3. Converts inline CSS styles to SVG attributes
4. Cleans metadata, comments, and unnecessary namespaces
5. Normalizes the viewBox to a square ratio

Paste your SVG or upload the file, and retrieve the compliant result.

Step 4: validate the result

After conversion, verify that the file contains:

<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
     version="1.2"
     baseProfile="tiny-ps"
     viewBox="0 0 512 512">
  <title>Logo captaindns.com</title>
  <circle cx="256" cy="256" r="200" fill="#0EA5E9"/>
</svg>

Checklist:

• version="1.2" is present
• baseProfile="tiny-ps" is present
• viewBox is square
• No residual <script>, <image>, <animate>, or <style>
• The <title> element is recommended (accessibility)

Then test your logo with the CaptainDNS BIMI verification tool to confirm it's retrievable in production.

Common mistakes and how to fix them

Still seeing your logo rejected after conversion? These five mistakes account for the vast majority of BIMI validation failures.

<style> block in the file

Symptom: the validator reports "CSS styles not allowed".

Cause: Illustrator and Figma export colors as CSS classes.

Solution: convert classes to fill and stroke attributes directly on each element. The CaptainDNS converter performs this transformation automatically.

Missing or incorrect baseProfile

Symptom: the file is rejected despite valid content.

Cause: the baseProfile="tiny-ps" attribute is missing from the root <svg> element. This is the most common error because no graphic editor adds it.

Solution: add baseProfile="tiny-ps" and version="1.2" to the <svg> tag.

Base64-embedded images

Symptom: the validator reports "image element not allowed".

Cause: an <image> element with href="data:image/png;base64,..." is present. Some tools embed bitmaps in the SVG.

Solution: recreate the element as pure vector (<path>, <circle>, etc.) or remove it.

Non-square viewBox

Symptom: the logo appears distorted or doesn't display.

Cause: a viewBox="0 0 800 400" produces a 2:1 ratio, not 1:1.

Solution: crop the logo into a square frame and adjust the viewBox accordingly.

<filter> or <mask> elements

Symptom: the validator reports "filter/mask element not allowed".

Cause: effects like drop shadows, Gaussian blurs, or advanced clipping masks are present.

Solution: remove these effects and recreate the appearance with simple shapes if necessary.

🎯 Recommended action plan

1. Check your DMARC policy: it must be p=quarantine or p=reject with pct=100. Without a valid DMARC, BIMI won't work.
2. Export your logo as SVG from your design tool with a square artboard
3. Convert the SVG with the CaptainDNS SVG Tiny-PS converter to get a compliant file
4. Host the file over HTTPS at a publicly accessible URL (example: https://captaindns.com/bimi/logo.svg)
5. Publish the BIMI DNS record: default._bimi.captaindns.com TXT "v=BIMI1; l=https://captaindns.com/bimi/logo.svg;"

FAQ

How do I create a BIMI-compliant SVG Tiny-PS logo?

Export your logo as SVG from a vector tool (Illustrator, Figma, Inkscape) with a square artboard. Run the file through an SVG Tiny-PS converter to add the required attributes (version="1.2", baseProfile="tiny-ps") and remove forbidden elements (scripts, animations, external images).

What are the technical requirements of the SVG Tiny-PS format?

The file must contain version="1.2" and baseProfile="tiny-ps" on the root tag, a square viewBox, and no forbidden elements: no <script>, <image>, <animate>, <filter>, <style>, <a>, or <foreignObject>. Basic shapes, simple gradients, and text are allowed.

What size should a BIMI logo be?

There is no minimum size requirement in pixels. The viewBox must be square (1:1 ratio). Common values are 0 0 100 100 or 0 0 512 512. Mail providers resize the logo according to their own display constraints.

How do I convert a standard SVG to SVG Tiny-PS?

Use a dedicated converter that adds missing attributes, removes forbidden elements, converts CSS styles to inline attributes, and cleans metadata. The CaptainDNS converter performs all these operations in a single pass.

Is a VMC certificate required to display a BIMI logo?

It depends on the provider. Gmail requires a VMC (Verified Mark Certificate) or a CMC (Common Mark Certificate). Yahoo Mail and Apple Mail can display the logo without a certificate. See our VMC vs CMC guide for details.

How do I test whether my BIMI logo is valid?

Host the SVG file over HTTPS, publish your BIMI DNS record, then use a BIMI verification tool to check that the file is accessible and compliant with the SVG Tiny-PS profile.

Which SVG elements are forbidden in a BIMI logo?

The main forbidden elements are: <script>, <image>, <foreignObject>, <a>, <animate>, <animateTransform>, <set>, <filter>, <pattern>, <mask>, <symbol>, <marker>, <switch>, and <cursor>. Any element that enables code execution, external resource loading, or interactivity is forbidden.

📖 Glossary

• SVG Tiny 1.2 PS: a restricted profile of the SVG standard (W3C) designed for BIMI. The PS suffix stands for Portable/Secure and adds security restrictions beyond SVG Tiny 1.2.
• BIMI: Brand Indicators for Message Identification. A standard that displays a brand logo in mail clients, contingent on strict email authentication (DMARC).
• VMC: Verified Mark Certificate. A certificate issued by an authority (DigiCert, Entrust) that binds a logo to a registered trademark. Required by Gmail for the verification badge.
• CMC: Common Mark Certificate. An alternative to VMC that doesn't require a registered trademark. Accepted by Gmail since 2024.
• DMARC: Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance. An email authentication policy that conditions BIMI functionality.

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Convert your logo now: use the CaptainDNS SVG Tiny-PS converter to transform your SVG file into a compliant BIMI logo in seconds.

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📚 Related BIMI guides

• SVG Tiny-PS: understanding the BIMI security profile (coming soon)
• Setting up BIMI for SMBs: a cost-effective guide without VMC (coming soon)

Sources

• SVG Tiny 1.2 Specification (W3C)
• BIMI Group - Implementation Guide
• RFC 9495 - BIMI
• Google Workspace - Configure BIMI