Overview
- Beta builds of Android 17 QPR2 expose a new HiLight option called “Messages from favorites” that lights the rear notification strip when a favorite contact sends a message.
- The Messages setting appears alongside existing HiLight options in Settings and as a per-contact toggle inside the Contacts app, letting users enable message lighting for individual favorite contacts.
- Android 17 QPR2 beta also adds four color choices — orange, cyan, green, and blue — to the five colors HiLight launched with, increasing per-contact visual customization.
- These features are visible only to Pixel 11 Pro series beta testers and have not been pushed to stable releases, and Google has not given a public rollout date or confirmed third-party app support.
- HiLight remains exclusive to Pixel 11 Pro models and the update signals a slow, Google-controlled expansion of the feature that boosts personalization but keeps notifications confined to Google’s own apps and favorites system.