FAQs

Troubleshooting: "SVG logo file is not binary equal to the image embedded in VMC certificate" error

Updated on September 26, 2026

Overview

By following this article, you will fix the "SVG logo file is not binary equal to the image embedded in VMC certificate" error, so that your Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) record passes validation. The error means that your hosted Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) logo file is not byte-for-byte identical ("binary equal") to the logo stored inside your Verified Mark Certificate (VMC). This article covers the symptoms of the error, its common causes, how to extract the embedded logo from your VMC and host it, and how to verify the fix.

What does "binary equal" mean?

"Binary equal" means that two files are identical byte for byte. For Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) validation, your hosted Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) logo file must be binary equal to the logo embedded in your Verified Mark Certificate (VMC). Two SVG files can look the same on screen but still fail this check if their code differs in any way.

Symptoms of the SVG binary mismatch error

You might have this Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) error if you see one or more of these symptoms:

A BIMI checking tool reports: "SVG logo file is not binary equal to the image embedded in VMC certificate."
BIMI checks fail in Gmail or in the EasyDMARC BIMI Checker.
Your Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) logo looks correct, but validation still fails.

Cause of the SVG binary mismatch error

The "SVG logo file is not binary equal to the image embedded in VMC certificate" error occurs when your hosted Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) logo file differs from the logo embedded in your Verified Mark Certificate (VMC), even by one character. The most common causes are:

The SVG file was changed or re-exported after Sectigo issued the VMC. Invisible changes can cause the mismatch, for example:
- A different Extensible Markup Language (XML) header
- Namespaces in a different order
- Rounded coordinates instead of unrounded coordinates (or the reverse)
- Paths rebuilt by Adobe Illustrator or another design tool
- Code restructured when the file was opened and saved in a viewer tool
The hosted SVG file was optimized or minified. These tools change the file code and cause a mismatch:
- SVGOMG
- Figma exports
- The Adobe Illustrator "Optimized SVG" option

Solution: Replace the hosted SVG with the logo from your VMC

To fix the error, extract the exact Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) logo from your Verified Mark Certificate (VMC), and then host that file.

Step 1 — Extract the embedded SVG logo from your VMC

Use this procedure to get the exact SVG logo that was used when Sectigo issued your VMC. You need the OpenSSL command-line tool.

Run this command. Replace [your-vmc-file].crt with the file name of your VMC:
```
openssl x509 -in [your-vmc-file].crt -text > output.txt
```
Open output.txt, and search for BIMIIndicator.
Copy the Base64-encoded SVG data, and save it in a new file named embedded.txt.
Run this command to decode the data into an SVG file:
```
base64 -d embedded.txt > bimi-from-certificate.svg
```

The file bimi-from-certificate.svg is binary equal to the logo in your VMC.

Step 2 — Replace your hosted SVG logo with the extracted SVG

Upload bimi-from-certificate.svg to the HTTPS location that your Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) record references, for example [your-bimi-file].svg. You can keep your existing file name. Do not open, edit, or optimize the file before you upload it.

How to verify success

After you replace the hosted Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) logo, check your domain again with a Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) checking tool that compares the SVG logo with your Verified Mark Certificate (VMC), such as the EasyDMARC BIMI Checker. The tool no longer reports the "not binary equal" error, and it confirms that the SVG logo matches the logo embedded in your VMC.

Note: The BIMI Inspector by BIMI Group checks the format of your BIMI record only. It does not compare your SVG logo with your VMC, so it cannot confirm this fix.