Why validate your BIMI logo?
Email providers (Gmail, Apple Mail, Yahoo) only display your logo if several conditions are met:
- Valid BIMI DNS record
- Logo in compliant SVG Tiny-PS format
- Stable and fast HTTPS delivery
- File under 32KB
A single unmet criterion = no display. Without prior validation, you discover the problem after deployment, with days of delay to fix.
Common use cases:
- BIMI deployment → Validate the logo before publishing the DNS record
- Display debugging → Understand why your logo doesn't appear in Gmail
- Logo change → Verify the new SVG meets requirements
How to use the BIMI checker
Step 1: Enter URL or domain
Two options:
- Direct URL: Paste your SVG file URL (e.g.,
https://cdn.captaindns.com/bimi/logo.svg) - Domain: Enter your domain and the tool fetches the URL from the BIMI record
Step 2: Analyze the report
The tool checks:
| Category | Checks |
|---|---|
| HTTP Delivery | Redirects, latency, final URL, MIME type |
| SSL Certificate | Validity, trust chain |
| SVG Format | Tiny-PS compliance, forbidden tags |
| Metadata | viewBox, dimensions, title |
| Size | Weight in bytes vs 32KB recommendation |
Step 3: Fix and retest
- Fix blocking errors first (forbidden elements, HTTPS failure)
- Address warnings (size, multiple redirects)
- Rerun analysis until you get a compliant result
What is SVG Tiny-PS?
SVG Tiny-PS (Tiny Portable/Secure) is an SVG profile designed for security. It forbids elements that could pose a risk:
Forbidden elements
| Element | Reason |
|---|---|
<script> | JavaScript code execution |
<foreignObject> | External HTML content inclusion |
<use href="external"> | Reference to external resources |
| External fonts | Third-party resource loading |
<animate> (some) | Complex animations |
Allowed elements
| Element | Description |
|---|---|
<svg>, <g> | Basic structure |
<path>, <rect>, <circle>, <ellipse> | Geometric shapes |
<polygon>, <polyline>, <line> | Lines and polygons |
<linearGradient>, <radialGradient> | Gradients (simple) |
<text> converted to <path> | Vectorized text |
Compliant logo example
<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 100 100">
<title>CaptainDNS Logo</title>
<rect width="100" height="100" fill="#4F46E5"/>
<path d="M25 50 L50 25 L75 50 L50 75 Z" fill="#FFFFFF"/>
</svg>
Common diagnostics and solutions
Error: Unsupported tag
Diagnostic: Element <script> not allowed in SVG Tiny-PS
Solution: Remove all <script> elements. A BIMI logo is static, with no interactivity.
Error: External reference
Diagnostic: External reference in href attribute
Solution: Replace external references (href="https://...") with embedded resources or remove them.
Warning: Excessive size
Diagnostic: File size 48KB exceeds 32KB recommendation
Solution:
- Simplify paths with an SVG optimizer (SVGO)
- Remove unnecessary metadata (comments, editor-generated IDs)
- Convert text to paths
- Reduce coordinate precision
Error: Incorrect MIME type
Diagnostic: Content-Type: text/html instead of image/svg+xml
Solution: Configure your server or CDN to serve .svg files with Content-Type: image/svg+xml.
Error: Multiple redirects
Diagnostic: 4 redirects before reaching final URL
Solution: Simplify the redirect chain. Ideally, the BIMI record URL points directly to the final file (0-1 redirect max).
FAQ - Frequently asked questions
Q: What is a BIMI logo?
A: BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) displays your brand logo next to your emails in Gmail, Apple Mail, Yahoo, and other compatible mailboxes. It requires a BIMI DNS record and a logo in SVG Tiny-PS format.
Q: What is SVG Tiny-PS?
A: SVG Tiny-PS is a secure subset of the SVG format. It forbids scripts, external fonts, external references, and certain animations. This format ensures the logo is safe to display in a mailbox.
Q: Why isn't my BIMI logo showing?
A: Check these points in order:
- BIMI DNS record present and correctly formatted
- Logo accessible via HTTPS (no certificate errors)
- SVG Tiny-PS format compliant (no forbidden tags)
- Size under 32KB
- Correct MIME type (
image/svg+xml)
Q: What's the maximum size for a BIMI logo?
A: The official recommendation is 32KB maximum. Beyond that, the logo may be ignored by some mailboxes or slow down display.
Q: Is the tool free?
A: Yes, 100% free with no signup. No usage limits.
Q: How do I fix a non-compliant logo?
A: Use an SVG editor (Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, Figma) to:
- Remove scripts and interactive elements
- Convert text to paths
- Remove external fonts
- Replace external references with embedded resources
- Optimize with SVGO to reduce size
Complementary tools
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| BIMI Inspector (DNS) | Check your domain's BIMI record |
| BIMI Syntax Checker | Validate BIMI record syntax |
| DMARC Inspector | Check DMARC (prerequisite for BIMI) |
| Email Tester | Test overall email deliverability |
| VMC Certificate Parser | Analyze a Verified Mark Certificate |
Useful resources
- Official BIMI specification (BIMI Group implementation guide)
- SVG Tiny-PS specification (W3C specification)
- SVGO - SVG Optimizer (open source SVG optimization tool)
- Google - BIMI in Gmail (Gmail documentation)