The Pixel 11 Pros HiLight LED is bafflingly limited out of the box, but a new app removes its shackles

Date:
Fri, 21 Aug 2026 10:39:33 +0000

Description:
HiLight Studio is a new app that makes HiLight what it should have been out
of the box, but this isn't the simplest of things to install.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter The Pixel 11 Pro's HiLight feature can't do much out of the box, but a new app changes that Called HiLight Studio, this lets you use HiLight with any app and customize the colors and patterns However, setting it up requires jumping through far more hoops than a typical app HiLight seems like it should be the big new addition for the Google Pixel 11 Pro series. This LED on the back of the phone can light up in a selection of colors, alerting you to calls from favorite contacts and letting you know when Gemini is active, but out of the box,
thats all it can do.

It cant interact with any other app, and even for Gemini and favorite contacts, its limited in its customization, leading our Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold review to describe HiLight as not a must-have, while some other publications went even further, with Android Authority calling it pointless, and GSMArena describing it as borderline useless. Clearly, then, HiLight isnt the headline addition it could and perhaps should have been but an app developer has taken it into their own hands to change that. Latest Videos
From TechRadar Watch full video here:

X user @Dhananjay_Tech has created an app called HiLight Studio that lets you activate the HiLight LED for notifications from any app, or when launching an app. You can also customize the color or pattern of the LED, and the app is free of both charges and adverts. Google put a colour LED on the Pixel 11 Pro and limited it to calls and texts.So I made an app, so you can use it with anything Any app, any colour, any effect you want. WhatsApp green, Slack red, Gmail whatever you like No ads. No root. Free. Completely open source pic.twitter.com/YGxPf9oQKv August 20, 2026 A hassle to install That said, there are some potential issues here. For one thing, it was reportedly vibe coded using AI, which doesnt fully inspire confidence, and its also not available as a download from Google Play. Instead, you need to download the app from GitHub , install the Shizuku app , and then activate HiLight Studio through that, by finding the downloaded GitHub file on Shizuku and selecting Setup > Request access. You may like I tried the new Pixel 11 range, and Google's made improvements all over, with a surprising 'HiLight' 7 things we learned from the Google Pixel 11 launch 7 biggest Google Pixel 11 rumors
rated by likelihood

This isnt a huge deal, but its a lot more hassle than a typical app, and the app also needs restarting manually each time you reboot your phone.

These requirements have led to mixed reactions on Reddit , with one user saying this is so much better than the standard HiLight functionality, while another argued requires Shizuku... so complete non-starter, and other
comments taking a similar mix of perspectives. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The hope, regardless, is that Google might soon embrace HiLights full potential through an update, so you dont have to turn to third-party apps.
But for now, this at least is a way to get more out of what could have been a really cool feature. Today's best Google Pixel phone deals Contract Deals Sim Free gift Google Pixel 11 24 months Unlimited mins Unlimited texts 100GB data 29 upfront 25.99 /mth View at Mobiles.co.uk See all prices voucher gift
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL 36 months Unlimited mins 150GB data 50 upfront 44.50 /mth View at Three Home Broadband See all prices gift Google Pixel 11 Pro 24 months Unlimited mins Unlimited texts 100GB data 29 upfront 33.99 /mth View
at Mobiles.co.uk See all prices gift Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold 24 months Unlimited mins Unlimited texts 100GB data 49 upfront 50.99 /mth View at Mobiles.co.uk See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/google-pixel-phones/the-pixel-11-pros-hilight -led-is-bafflingly-limited-out-of-the-box-but-a-new-app-removes-its-shackles


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)