It can\u2019t interact with any other app, and even for Gemini and favorite contacts, it\u2019s limited in its customization, leading our Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold review<\/a> to describe HiLight as \u201cnot a must-have,\u201d while some other publications went even further, with Android Authority<\/a> calling it \u201cpointless,\u201d and GSMArena<\/a> describing it as \u201cborderline useless.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Clearly, then, HiLight isn\u2019t the headline addition it could and perhaps should have been \u2014 but an app developer has taken it into their own hands to change that.<\/p>\n Latest Videos FromTechRadar<\/p>\n X user @Dhananjay_Tech<\/a> 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.<\/p>\n 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 \ud83d\ude0eAny app, any colour, any effect you want. WhatsApp green, Slack red, Gmail whatever you like \ud83d\ude80No ads. No root. Free. Completely open source \ud83d\ude4c\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/YGxPf9oQKvAugust 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n A hassle to install<\/p>\n That said, there are some potential issues here. For one thing, it was reportedly vibe coded using AI, which doesn\u2019t fully inspire confidence, and it\u2019s also not available as a download from Google Play. Instead, you need to download the app from GitHub<\/a>, install the Shizuku app<\/a>, and then activate HiLight Studio through that, by finding the downloaded GitHub file on Shizuku and selecting Setup > Request access.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n This isn\u2019t a huge deal, but it\u2019s a lot more hassle than a typical app, and the app also needs restarting manually each time you reboot your phone.<\/p>\n These requirements have led to mixed reactions on Reddit<\/a>, with one user saying \u201cthis is so much better\u201d than the standard HiLight functionality, while another argued \u201crequires Shizuku… so complete non-starter,\u201d and other comments taking a similar mix of perspectives.<\/p>\n The hope, regardless, is that Google might soon embrace HiLight\u2019s full potential through an update, so you don\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Today’s best Google Pixel phone deals<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n <\/a><\/p>\n Follow TechRadar on Google News<\/a> and add us as a preferred source<\/a> to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!<\/p>\n And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok<\/a> for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp<\/a> too.<\/p>\n![\"Google](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/diM9tpwF2Lz85R8q85CT78.jpg\")
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