Gmail adds blue verification checkmarks on Android and iOS apps

Google added blue verification checkmarks for Gmail a year ago. Now, the company is taking the safety feature a step further by integrating it to Gmail apps for Android and iOS.

The blue checkmark lets consumers verify that the email they received is from a reliable source, rather than a scammer attempting to prey on naive people on the internet. The checkmark appears in an email on the right side of the sender's name.

It is part of Gmail's BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) feature. BIMI also allows senders with registered trademarks to have their brand logo verified by a third party before using it as a Gmail avatar.

Google said in a blog post announcing the update:

Currently, Gmail on the web will display a verified checkmark for senders who have adopted BIMI with a registered trademark (VMC). Over the next few weeks, users will also see those verified checkmark icons while using the Gmail application on Android and iOS (Apple Mail or other mail applications are not supported). Note that this update is applicable for VMCs only.

Some senders may not have a registered trademark but want to establish their validity with the receiver. In those instances, Gmail now offers a new sort of BIMI certificate known as the Common Mark Certificate (CMC). The credential permits "a broader range of senders to utilize BIMI, who might not have the registered trademark required for a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC)."

Senders can have their brand avatars displayed in Gmail with a CMC, but they will not have a blue checkmark like VMC, the search giant added. The blue checkmark has begun to appear on Android and iOS devices, with all users expected to receive it within the next two weeks. It will be accessible to all Google Workspace customers and anyone with personal Google accounts.