After being barebones at launch, Google is improving on Pixel 11 Pro’s Hilight feature with message support, now including WhatsApp.
As a part of the November 2026 Pixel Drop that was released this week, Google Messages added support for HiLight on the Pixel 11 Pro series. As we reported back in September when Google started beta testing the functionality, users can select a contact and enable a specific color light for phone calls and/or messages.
Google’s announcement only officially introduced support for the Google Messages app but, as it turns out, WhatsApp is also supported.
Shenaz Zack, Senior Director of Product Management over Pixel, confirmed through a brief video on Twitter/X that WhatsApp messages can also now activate HiLight. This isn’t a huge surprise given WhatsApp calls have been supported since day one, but it’s a nice addition for the many users who prefer WhatsApp over SMS/RCS.
Android 17 QPR2 enables the update, and it’s rolling out now to all Pixel 11 Pro devices.
More on Google Pixel:
- Android 17 QPR2 November update rolling out with 33 Pixel fixes
- November 2026 Pixel Drop: Create My Widget, Pixel 10 Rambler, & more
- Pixel 11 starts testing ‘Call for Me’ to have Gemini phone on your behalf
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