Google expanded HiLight notifications to Google Messages in the November Pixel Drop for Pixel 11 Pro phones. The light illuminates for texts from favorite contacts when resting face-down, adding to existing support for Phone and WhatsApp calls as well as Gemini interactions.
Google released its November Pixel Drop update, adding Google Messages support to the Pixel 11 Pro HiLight notification light. Google introduced the hardware feature earlier this year on Pixel 11 Pro models, reviving notification lights that were common on older phones. Prior to this update, HiLight remained limited in what it could officially do.
HiLight previously supported Phone and WhatsApp calls, along with glowing during Gemini interactions. Users could configure colors for calls from specific contacts, while expanding functionality required unofficial solutions like HiLight Studio. With the November Pixel Drop, Google is expanding notifications to Google Messages. When the Pixel 11 Pro rests face-down, HiLight illuminates when a text arrives from a favorite contact, functioning the same way it does for voice calls.
Two and a half months after launch, the hardware feature only officially works with two first-party apps (three including Gemini), plus WhatsApp. HiLight does not support other Google services such as Gmail, YouTube notifications, or Google Voice.
Evidence indicates Android’s upcoming Notification Rules could use HiLight to signal when high-priority notifications arrive. How long users will wait remains unclear, though the feature could arrive with Android 17 QPR3 in the spring. In the meantime, Pixel 11 Pro users have the added Google Messages support.
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Cristian Penisoara is a Guides Writer and Android specialist at Droid Tools. An Android user since version 2 and a professional event photographer, he combines technical curiosity with a detail-oriented approach - every guide he publishes is tested step-by-step on a real device before it goes live.
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