Google expands the HiLight LED feature on the Pixel 11 Pro so it can light up for Google Messages texts, not only for phone calls. The change is tied to Google’s upcoming “Pixel Drop” update.
CNET frames the update as making the rear light more useful for messaging from “besties,” while Android Authority focuses on the practical detail that Google Messages is now among the official apps that can trigger HiLight. The Verge also describes it as an incremental improvement, placing the feature within the context of Google continuing to add functionality to an LED it says has been limited in how it can be used.
Across outlets, the main shared point is that HiLight gains support for Google Messages, specifically for texts from selected contacts. The coverage largely agrees on the small scope of the enhancement and the product framing around the November 2026 Pixel Drop.
