Google has expanded HiLight on the Pixel 11 Pro series. The light built into the rear camera bar can now glow for WhatsApp messages from contacts you choose, not just WhatsApp calls.
The confirmation came from Shenaz Zack, Senior Director of Product Management for Pixel, in a short video posted on X, as reported by 9to5Google.
What changed with Pixel 11 Pro HiLight and WhatsApp
HiLight works as a visual alert for the people you care about most. You pick a contact, assign a color, and the camera bar lights up when that person reaches you.
WhatsApp calls could trigger it from launch. Messages were the missing piece, and Zack says that gap is now closed:
HiLight already worked with WhatsApp calls and now, it works with WhatsApp messages, too, doing the heavy lifting so my favorites get the VIP attention
According to 9to5Google, you select a contact and turn on a color for calls, messages, or both. The hardware behind the feature has a trade-off of its own, as covered in our look at why the Pixel 11 Pro’s flashlight is dimmer.
Google’s official notes only mention Google Messages
The change is enabled by Android 17 QPR2, which arrived with the November 2026 Pixel Drop. Google’s own notes for that drop add HiLight support for messages in Google Messages.
WhatsApp does not appear in those notes. 9to5Google points out that Google’s announcement officially introduced message support for the Google Messages app only.
That means Pixel 11 Pro owners are learning about a useful addition from an executive’s post on X rather than from the release notes. If WhatsApp is where your important conversations happen, it is worth revisiting your HiLight contacts after updating.
Rollout: it may not reach every phone at once
Google has not given a per-device timeline for the WhatsApp message support. 9to5Google reports that it is rolling out to Pixel 11 Pro devices now, but your phone may not have it yet.
To check, make sure the November Pixel Drop is installed first. Our Android 17 QPR2 rundown covers which Pixels get the update. Then pick a favorite contact in HiLight and see whether a messages option appears next to calls.
Source: Shenaz Zack on X, via 9to5Google
