Google is adding blue checkmarks to Gmail. These checkmarks will help users identify whether a sender is genuine or an impersonator trying to scam them. A tiny blue tick appears next to the sender’s name in your inbox, indicating that the email is coming from a verified company or individual and not a scammer.
The blue checkmarks in Gmail are an updated form of the Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI) feature that Google introduced back in July 2021. It added another layer of security to Gmail by requiring strong authentication and verification of logos for companies. Emails from senders who have implemented Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC) display validated company logos as avatars.
“Strong authentication increases confidence in the source of emails and provides recipients with a more immersive experience,” Google said back ten. “Further, this helps email security systems filter spoofed, phishing emails from legitimate messages,” it added. The company is building on this feature to introduce blue ticks. Senders that have adopted BIMI are now getting a checkmark next to their Gmail avatar.
According to Google, this implementation helps reduce email spam. Gmail’s security systems will use the feature to identify and stop spam, while senders will be able to leverage their brand trust. Users will also be able to identify messages from legitimate senders versus impersonators. Google says this increases confidence in email sources, “creating a better email ecosystem for everyone.”
Gmail blue checkmarks are rolling out widely
Google started rolling out blue checkmarks in Gmail this Wednesday, May 3. The company says it will complete the rollout for both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains by the end of this week. The new feature will be available to all Google Workspace customers, G Suite Basic and Business customers, and users with personal Google Accounts. There is no end-user setting for this feature, so you will see the blue ticks in emails from verified senders without needing to do anything on your end.
For admins who want to set up BIMI and add blue checkmarks to their outgoing emails, this Help Center page has detailed instructions. “To take advantage of BIMI for your outgoing emails to Gmail and other platforms, ensure that your organization has adopted DMARC, and that you have validated your logo with a VMC, issued by a Certification Authority such as Entrust or DigiCert,” Google states in a Workspace Updates blog post announcing this rollout.
