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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteOn a supported Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, or Pixel 11 Pro Fold, open Settings > System > HiLight and switch off Use HiLight. That is the global control for the colored light cues shown while the phone is face down.
If lights are still associated with a specific mode such as Bedtime or Do Not Disturb, that mode has its own call-notification setting. The steps below explain both controls and the side effects of changing them.
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What HiLight does and which Pixel phones support it
HiLight is a screen-free notification feature. When a supported phone is placed face down, it uses light-based cues to signal certain activity without requiring you to look at the display. Google describes color-coded lights for timely information, including activity involving Gemini and calls from favorite contacts. The feature is documented for a specific Pixel 11 Pro generation, not for every Pixel phone.
Google’s Pixel Help page currently lists these models as supporting HiLight: Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. The same page does not establish support for older Pixel models, so an earlier phone may not show a HiLight entry at all.
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| Pixel model | HiLight support documented? | What that means for the setting |
|---|---|---|
| Pixel 11 Pro | Yes | The HiLight controls should be available under System. |
| Pixel 11 Pro XL | Yes | The HiLight controls should be available under System. |
| Pixel 11 Pro Fold | Yes | The HiLight controls should be available under System. |
| Older Pixel models | Not established by Google’s support page | Do not assume the feature or its menu exists on these phones. |
HiLight is not a separate application that you uninstall. It is a built-in System setting with a master switch and separate controls for the supported notification types.
Turn off every HiLight cue
Use the master switch when you want the phone to stop using HiLight altogether. The exact path documented by Google is:
- Open the phone’s Settings app.
- Tap System.
- Tap HiLight.
- Turn off Use HiLight.
After Use HiLight is off, HiLight no longer provides its light cues. This is the appropriate choice if you do not want the phone to signal Gemini activity or favorite-contact calls with lights while it is face down.
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- Return to the HiLight page and verify that Use HiLight is shown as off.
- Place the phone face down only after checking the switch; HiLight is designed for that orientation.
- If you still see a call-related behavior, check whether a separate mode is active. Modes can change how calls are handled independently of the general HiLight preference.
The global switch does not remove your contacts, change Gemini, or uninstall Phone by Google or WhatsApp. It controls whether the HiLight lighting system is used.
Disable only Gemini or favorite-call lights
You do not have to disable the entire feature. The HiLight page includes separate controls for the two documented uses, so you can keep one kind of cue and remove the other.
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| HiLight control | What it controls | When to turn it off |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking with Gemini | Light cues associated with speaking with Gemini | Use this when you want to keep call lights but do not want Gemini-related illumination. |
| Calls from favorites | Light cues for calls from contacts marked as favorites | Use this when you want to keep Gemini cues but do not want favorite-contact call lights. |
Change an individual control
- Open Settings.
- Go to System > HiLight.
- Leave Use HiLight on if you want to retain another HiLight function.
- Turn off either Speaking with Gemini or Calls from favorites, depending on the cue you want to remove.
Turning off one sub-control does not imply that the other one is disabled. Review both toggles if you want a completely dark experience while keeping the master switch available for later use.
Stop HiLight during Flip to Shhh, Bedtime, or Do Not Disturb
Google documents a separate behavior for modes. HiLight glows by default when modes such as Flip to Shhh, Bedtime, or Do Not Disturb are enabled. Consequently, switching a mode on can produce a light even when you expected that mode to silence ordinary notifications.
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- Open Settings.
- Tap Modes.
- Select the mode you want to change.
- Tap People.
- Tap Calls.
- Choose None.
- Turn off Allow repeat callers as well if you do not want repeat-caller exceptions.
The choice of None has an important consequence: while that mode is active, it also turns off ring and vibration call notifications. It is therefore a call-silencing setting, not merely a lighting preference.
Choose the right control for the symptom
| What you want | Control to change | Result while the mode is active |
|---|---|---|
| No HiLight anywhere | Turn off Use HiLight under System > HiLight. | HiLight is disabled globally. |
| Keep HiLight generally, but stop calls in one mode | Set that mode’s People > Calls option to None. | HiLight call cues, ringing, and vibration call notifications are disabled for that mode. |
| Allow calls but prevent repeat-caller exceptions | Turn off Allow repeat callers in the mode’s call settings. | Repeat callers do not bypass the mode’s call restrictions. |
Why HiLight may appear or fail to appear
HiLight is conditional, so its behavior can look inconsistent if you test it under different settings. These are the documented factors that affect what you see.
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The phone is not face down
HiLight’s purpose is to provide light-based cues when the phone is face down. Testing with the screen facing up does not reproduce the situation for which the feature is designed.
A mode is active
Flip to Shhh, Bedtime, and Do Not Disturb can enable HiLight behavior by default. If the lights are present only during one of these modes, inspect that mode’s call settings rather than changing unrelated notification preferences.
Flash notifications are enabled
Google’s help documentation states that flash notifications prevent HiLight from displaying for incoming calls. If a favorite contact calls and no HiLight appears while the phone is face down, check whether flash notifications are responsible before treating the feature as broken.
The relevant HiLight sub-control is off
With Use HiLight on, the Speaking with Gemini and Calls from favorites controls still determine which supported events can produce cues. A disabled sub-control will not generate its corresponding light.
How favorite-call HiLight works
The favorite-call option is intended for calls from contacts you have designated as favorites. Google’s documentation says this behavior works with Phone by Google and WhatsApp. That app qualification matters: a call through another service is not established by the documentation as a supported source of favorite-call HiLight.
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If you want to stop these call lights while retaining Gemini cues, leave Use HiLight enabled and turn off Calls from favorites. If you turn off the master switch instead, both documented categories of cue are disabled together.
What changing the favorite-call option does not do
- It does not remove a contact from your favorites.
- It does not block the contact from calling.
- It does not change WhatsApp notification permissions.
- It does not override a mode’s separate call policy.
Those distinctions help identify the correct setting: HiLight controls the light signal, while contacts, calling apps, and modes retain their own settings.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the Gemini control changes
The Speaking with Gemini option governs the HiLight cue associated with speaking with Gemini. If you prefer to use Gemini without a light on the back of a face-down phone, turn off this sub-control rather than disabling all of HiLight.
Conversely, if you want Gemini-related illumination but no favorite-call lights, keep Speaking with Gemini on and disable Calls from favorites. The controls are independent, so changing one should not be used as a substitute for checking the other.
If the HiLight menu is missing
Start by confirming the phone model. Google’s support material names only Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold for HiLight. It does not confirm the feature on older Pixel phones. On an unsupported or unlisted model, the absence of System > HiLight is consistent with the available documentation rather than proof that a switch is hidden elsewhere.
Use this model-and-menu checklist
- Open Settings and go to About phone to identify the exact model name.
- Compare that name with the three models listed in Google’s HiLight help article.
- On a listed model, open Settings > System and look for HiLight.
- If the model is listed but the menu is still absent, use Google’s Pixel Help documentation for model-specific support rather than applying instructions meant for another phone.
Do not install a separate “HiLight” app or change unrelated display settings to compensate for a missing menu; the documented feature is built into the System settings on supported models.
A practical decision guide
Use the following choices to match the setting to your goal without changing more notifications than necessary.
| Your goal | Change | Important consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Never see HiLight | Turn off Use HiLight. | Gemini and favorite-call light cues are both disabled. |
| Keep Gemini cues, remove favorite-call cues | Keep the master switch on; turn off Calls from favorites. | Favorite-call lights stop, while Gemini-related cues can remain. |
| Keep favorite-call cues, remove Gemini cues | Keep the master switch on; turn off Speaking with Gemini. | Gemini-related lights stop, while supported favorite-call cues can remain. |
| Silence calls during a particular mode | In Settings > Modes, choose the mode, then People > Calls > None. | Ring and vibration call notifications are also disabled for that mode. |
| Prevent repeat callers from bypassing a mode | Turn off Allow repeat callers in that mode’s call settings. | Repeat calls receive the same restriction as other calls in that mode. |
| Investigate missing call lights | Check whether flash notifications are enabled. | Flash notifications suppress HiLight for incoming calls. |
Turn HiLight back on later
If you change your mind, return to the HiLight page and switch Use HiLight on. Then review Speaking with Gemini and Calls from favorites so that each is set according to your preference. If a mode still suppresses calls, revisit that mode’s People > Calls setting; the mode-specific policy is separate from the global HiLight switch.
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Google announced HiLight as a way to stay informed without looking at the screen, using color-coded lights for selected timely information. The announcement is available in Google’s Pixel 11 Pro HiLight overview. For the operational steps and supported-app details, the Pixel Help article remains the relevant reference.
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