Home · Technology · Nov 14 archive
Google Expands HiLight to WhatsApp on Pixel 11 Pro
Confirmed
In Short: Google has expanded its HiLight feature on the Pixel 11 Pro to include WhatsApp messages, enabling users to customize notifications for important contacts.
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Pixel 10 Pro XL. GSMArena Official
Google has expanded its HiLight feature on the Pixel 11 Pro to include WhatsApp messages, enabling users to customize notifications for important contacts.
Shenaz Zack, Senior Director of Product Management for Pixel, confirmed the update in a brief video posted on X.
The feature was initially barebones at launch but has been improved with the addition of WhatsApp support.
This update is particularly useful for those who rely heavily on WhatsApp for communication.
The Pixel 11 Pro launched in August 2026, and the HiLight feature is now getting its first meaningful improvement.
While the update is a small change, it enhances the utility of HiLight for WhatsApp users.
The confirmation came from Shenaz Zack, Senior Director of Product Management for Pixel, in a short video posted on X.
If WhatsApp is where your important conversations happen, it is worth revisiting your HiLight contacts after updating.
The update is rolling out now to all Pixel 11 Pro devices.
The HiLight feature can be configured through Settings > System HiLight or the HiLight panel in Google Contacts.
What this adds
The update is part of a broader suite of improvements for Pixel 11 Pro users, including the addition of Create My Widget and curated recommendations.
Despite the improvements, some users feel that HiLight still needs more features to be truly useful.
What's confirmed
- 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 😄 pic.twitter.com/ouLROk1FeF Android 17 QPR2 enables the update, and it’s rolling out now to all Pixel 11 Pro devices.
- 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.
- 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.
What's still developing
- 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.
- While a small change, it makes HiLight a wee bit more useful, especially since WhatsApp is among the most widely used messaging apps worldwide.
- If you rely heavily on WhatsApp to stay in touch with your friends and family, you can set up HiLight to glow when you receive a message from one of your VIP contacts.
- 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 you like customizing your Pixel phone, Google has just announced a bunch of new features that might interest you.
- Create My Widget is rolling out to Pixel 10 and Pixel 11 series phones, including the foldable models, in select regions and languages.
- Today, Google is adding yet another app to the fun: WhatsApp.
- Look, we still wish Google would add so much more to HiLight on the Pixel 11 Pro devices to make it truly useful, but we’ll take what we can get.
- My assumption is that your favorite contacts, assuming they are connected between Contacts and WhatsApp, will simply show colors as WhatsApp messages roll in.
- It glows when you get a call or when Gemini is working in the background, but unfortunately, it seems to weaken the Pixel’s flash.
- You can find the new messages option under the “Manage Experiences” section in Settings > System > HiLight.
- This isn’t entirely surprising, as we spotted evidence pointing toward message integration alongside new HiLight colors yesterday.