With Android 17 QPR2 Beta 6.1, HiLight on the Pixel 11 Pro series now supports message notifications.
After updating, go to Settings > System > HiLight for the new “Messages from favorites: Glows when your favorite contacts send you messages” option below Speaking with Gemini and Calls.
When you go to a Google Contacts page, the HiLight bottom sheet shows options for Phone calls and Messages that you can individually enable/disable.
We’re seeing this work with Google Messages today, while there should also be support for WhatsApp since calls already work. When you receive a message, HiLight blinks twice.
This is a huge finally and a feature that should have really been available on day one for the Pixel 11 Pro, 11 Pro XL, and 11 Pro Fold.
Expect a stable launch of Android 17 QPR2 in December.
Android 17 QPR2 Beta 6.1 comes a few days after the initial release that did not support the Pixel 11 series. Notably, Beta 6.1 features 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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