With Android 17 QPR2 Beta 6.1, HiLight on Pixel 11 Pro series now supports message notifications.
After updating, go to Settings > System > HiLight for the new option “Messages from Favorites: Lights up when your favorite contacts send you messages” below Talk with Gemini and Calls.
When you navigate to a Google Contacts page, the bottom HiLight sheet displays options for phone calls and messages that you can turn on/off individually.
We see this working with Google Messages today, while there should also be support for WhatsApp since calling already works. When you receive a message, HiLight flashes twice.
This is finally a huge feature and one that really should have been available from day one for the Pixel 11 Pro, 11 Pro XL, and 11 Pro Fold.
Expect a stable Android 17 QPR2 launch in December.
Android 17 QPR2 Beta 6.1 arrives a few days after the initial release which did not support the Pixel 11 series. Notably, beta 6.1 contains the September 2026 security patch and can be installed by users currently on the stable build (which is still not QPR1).
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