TL;DR
- Google heavily restricted the Pixel 11 Pro’s rear HiLight LED array out of the box, limiting it to Gemini and calls from favorite contacts.
- The open-source HiLight Studio app unlocks the LED’s full potential with custom app notifications, light patterns (comet, pulse, rainbow), Quick Settings toggles, and built-in hardware protection limits.
- You can set up the app by sideloading its APK and granting core permissions using Shizuku over Wireless debugging.
The Pixel 11 Pro series has a new “HiLight” LED system built around the camera’s flash on the back of the device. HiLight can be used as a notification LED to let you know about calls from your favorite contacts, and it also glows when you’re having a Gemini conversation… and that’s about it. HiLight has plenty of potential, but disappointingly, Google hasn’t blessed it with much functionality out of the box. If you want more out of HiLight and are okay with taking matters into your own hands, the open-source HiLight Studio app supercharges Pixel 11 Pro’s HiLight LED so it’s actually useful.
