Google may finally give the Pixel 11 Pro’s HiLight the feature it always needed

I didn’t really mind HiLight replacing the niche temperature sensor on Google’s Pixel 11 Pro, even without its glaring limitations. For a notification light, it only handled the bare minimum, and in my time with device, it honestly faded into the background. Though Google might have more ideas planned for this new feature.

An Android 17 QPR2 Beta 5 teardown by Android Authority has uncovered new code suggesting HiLight could soon alert you to messages from your favorite contacts. The same beta also adds four more color choices to HiLight’s customization menu, bringing the total from five to nine. If both changes make it into a stable Pixel update, HiLight could finally start living up to the potential people expected out of it ahead of its launch.

HiLight could now include messages

The relevant code references (LIGHT_ANIMATIONS_SETTING_FAVORITE_MESSAGES_ENABLED) and a (LightAnimationsFavoriteMessagesController), pointing toward message alerts tied specifically to favorite contacts. This lines up with Google’s existing plans. When HiLight debuted on the Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold, Google said it intended to eventually expand the feature to messages from favorite contacts. Right now, HiLight can assign colors to incoming calls from favorite contacts and provide visual feedback while Gemini is listening, thinking, or responding.

All of this sounds great, but there are still a few gaps left unexplained. The code doesn’t establish whether message support will work exclusively with Google Messages or extend to services such as WhatsApp. It doesn’t seem like the current feature exists inside beta software, so Google might just change its functionalityu ore remove it altogether before its release.

Oh and there’s more colors too

HiLight currently gives Pixel 11 Pro owners five colors to work with. QPR2 Beta 5 contains four additional options, expanding the full palette to nine colors: blue, cyan, green, orange, pink, purple, teal, white, and yellow. Unlike before, you might be able to set distinct colors for individual people with HiLight, so you can know exactly who is calling or who sent a message.

Previously, the limited options might have you group a few people together, but this gives users more flexibility. I already preferred HiLight to the temperature sensor it replaced. So message support would make this new feature have a lot more weight. Many felt that it was underwhelming, and I can see why. Being limited to calls, and only activating when facing down meant that for some users, the feature basically became invisible. I just hope Google ships it soon.