When Google added HiLight message notifications to the Pixel 11 Pro, one app was conspicuously missing: WhatsApp. Android Canary 2610, released this week, suggests Google is about to fix that.
The WhatsApp Gap
HiLight is the Pixel 11 Pro’s LED-style notification feature, and Android 17 QPR2 Beta 6.1 introduced support for using it with messages.
Supported apps stopped at Google’s own, leaving WhatsApp out. For anyone whose conversations happen there rather than in Google Messages, that made the feature far less useful.
Android Authority’s AssembleDebug found strings in a Pixel 9 build of Canary 2610 that read as though WhatsApp has been added alongside Google Messages.
One of them describes subtle lights when favorite contacts message you through either app.
Based on that code, HiLight should now handle WhatsApp alerts on the Pixel 11 Pro, though Android Authority hasn’t verified the behavior yet.
Teardown-based findings can change before reaching a public release, so treat it as a strong hint rather than a promise.
A Reworked Wallpaper & Style Menu
The other notable change is a revamped Wallpaper & Style section. It now opens with a carousel offering custom icons and theme packs, and a Featured button at the top brings that carousel back whenever you need it.
Google appears to have removed AI wallpaper and Emoji Workshop from that carousel in this build. The old Live Effects option has also been split into three separate choices: Shape effects, Animate, and Weather effects.
Who Can Install It, and the Catch
Build ZP11.260918.007 is available as a system image for devices from the Pixel 6a and Pixel 7 series up through the full Pixel 11 lineup, including the Pixel Fold, Pixel Tablet, and GSI.
Once flashed, a device receives Canary OTA updates roughly once a month.
The catch matters more than the features. Leaving the Canary channel requires flashing a non-Canary build, which wipes all data on the device.
Unless you have a full backup and a spare Android phone, this build is best left to developers and enthusiasts.
Source: Android Canary 2610 arrives with new Pixel customization options
