Overview
- Google shipped the Pixel 11 Pro with a rear RGB notification light that, out of the box, only lights for Gemini activity when the phone is face down or for favorite‑contact calls and offers a small palette of colors.
- A developer known on X as @Dhananjay_Tech published HiLight Studio on GitHub to take direct control of the HiLight LED and restore the light’s broader notification use.
- HiLight Studio provides granular features including a color slider, pattern timing, brightness and saturation controls, per‑app rules, importable presets, and an option to keep the light always active.
- Installing the app requires sideloading from GitHub plus Shizuku and ADB setup from a computer, and users must reauthorize the app after every reboot, creating convenience and security tradeoffs compared with Play Store apps.
- The workaround shows the hardware’s untapped potential and could pressure Google to change its policy or issue an official update, but the required technical steps limit the solution to power users for now.