Why Inbox Icons Matter
Having your company logo or personal photo appear in recipients’ inboxes offers several important advantages:Enhanced Brand Recognition
Visual identifiers help your emails stand out in crowded inboxes, creating immediate recognition even before recipients open your messages
Higher Open Rates
Emails with recognizable logos or photos can increase open rates by up to 21%, significantly improving campaign performance
Improved Trust
Recipients feel more confident about email legitimacy when they can see a familiar logo or face, reducing concerns about potential phishing attempts
Professional Appearance
A consistent visual identity across all communications presents a more polished, professional brand experience
Setup Options
There are two primary ways to add your logo or photo to emails, varying in complexity and coverage:- Email Client Setup (Easy)
- BIMI (Advanced)
This approach lets you add icons to individual email providers by setting up profiles, with support for both company logos and personal photos/headshots.Advantages:
- Supports both personal photos and company logos
- No additional costs beyond basic accounts
- Simple setup process with minimal technical skill
- Must set up separately for each email provider
- Limited to supported email clients only
- No verification or trust indicators
Gmail Setup
1
Log In
Log in to the Google/Gmail account associated with your sending address
2
Access Account Settings
Click your profile icon in the top-right corner, then click “Manage your Google Account”
3
Navigate to Personal Info
Select “Personal info” from the left menu
4
Update Profile Picture
Under “Profile,” click on your profile picture and upload your logo or photo
5
Save Changes
Click “Set as profile photo”
Gmail displays icons in the mobile app (including push notifications) and inside opened emails on desktop, but not in the inbox list view on desktop.
Apple Mail (Branded Mail)
Apple Branded Mail lets you display your logo as an avatar in Apple Mail inboxes on supported devices (iOS, iPadOS, macOS). This increases brand recognition and trust for recipients using Apple Mail.Prerequisites
- Apple Business Connect account (Sign up here)
- DMARC configured in your DNS records (part of your email authentication setup)
- Company identification number for Apple verification
Setup Steps
1
Configure DMARC
DMARC is an email authentication record required for Apple Branded Mail. If you’ve completed DNS setup for your email service provider, you may already have DMARC configured.You may need to update your DMARC policy to
p=quarantine; or p=reject; and pct=100.Example DMARC record:2
Add Company Details
After creating your Apple Business Connect account:
- Enter your company address, name, and other required details
- Select the Branded Mail option in the sidebar
- Add your brand name and website
3
Upload Your Logo
Apple requires the logo to be at least 1024 x 1024 px in
.png, .heif, or .jpeg format.Upload your logo in the Branded Mail section.4
Add Your Domain(s)
Specify the domains or email addresses where you want your logo to appear.
You can register your logo for your root domain or a subdomain. If you don’t set a specific logo for a subdomain, the root domain logo will automatically display for any email sent from your subdomains.
5
Verify Your Company
- Provide your company identification number (e.g., Federal Taxpayer ID in the US, local equivalent elsewhere)
- Apple will prompt you to add a DNS record to verify you control your domain
- Follow their instructions to complete this step
6
Apple Review
Apple will review your submission. This process may take up to seven business days.Once approved, you’ll receive an email notification and your logo will display in Apple Mail for supported recipients.
This only works with commercial domains (not gmail.com, etc.) and requires properly configured DNS records.
Outlook Setup
1
Log In
Log in to your Outlook account
2
Access Profile
Click your profile icon in the top-right corner and select “My profile” or “View account”
3
Edit Profile
Click on “Edit profile”
4
Upload Image
Upload your logo or photo
5
Save
Save changes
Outlook primarily displays icons in the mobile app and inside opened emails on desktop.
Yahoo Mail Setup
1
Log In
Log in to your Yahoo account
2
Access Account
Click your profile icon and select “Account info”
3
Navigate to Personal Info
Navigate to “Personal info”
4
Update Image
Click on your profile image and upload your logo or photo
5
Save
Save changes
Yahoo Mail offers more comprehensive icon support, displaying them in both the message list and message view.
Gravatar Setup
Gravatar is used by several email clients including Thunderbird, Airmail, and Postbox.1
Create Account
Go to Gravatar.com and create an account or log in
2
Add Image
Add your brand logo or photo
3
Verify Emails
Verify the email addresses you’re sending from
Best Practices
Use Consistent Branding
Use Consistent Branding
Use the same logo or photo across all email platforms to maintain brand consistency. Recipients should immediately recognize your brand regardless of which email client they use.
Optimize Image Quality
Optimize Image Quality
- Use high-resolution images (at least 1024x1024 for Apple)
- Ensure logos are clear and readable at small sizes
- Use PNG format for logos with transparency
- Test how your image appears at thumbnail size
Set Up All Available Methods
Set Up All Available Methods
For maximum coverage, configure inbox icons across all platforms your recipients use:
- Gmail profile
- Apple Branded Mail
- Outlook profile
- Yahoo profile
- Gravatar
Keep DNS Records Updated
Keep DNS Records Updated
For Apple Branded Mail and BIMI, maintain proper email authentication:
- SPF record
- DKIM signing
- DMARC policy