Google appears to be preparing message notifications for the Pixel 11 Pro’s HiLight LED system, according to code found in Android 17 QPR2 Beta 5. The unreleased functionality would trigger light animations for messages from favorite contacts, extending HiLight beyond its current call and Gemini-status alerts.
An Android Authority teardown also found four additional color options in the beta’s HiLight customization menu. HiLight currently offers five colors, while earlier evidence ahead of the Pixel 11 series launch had pointed to a nine-color selection. The code identifies the following nine colors, although it does not establish which four are newly added:
- Blue
- Cyan
- Green
- Orange
- Pink
- Purple
- Turquoise
- White
- Yellow
HiLight uses LEDs around the flash on Pixel 11 Pro models. At present, the system can light up for incoming calls from favorite contacts or while a Gemini task is running in the background. Google had said at the Pixel 11 launch that it intended to add message support, and the beta references indicate that work is continuing.
The implementation remains unclear. There is no detail on the final animation design or available customization controls, and it is not known whether alerts will be limited to SMS and Google Messages or extend to third-party services such as WhatsApp. Google has not announced a release date, and code present in a beta build does not guarantee a public rollout.
