HiLight Studio is an experimental third-party project for customizing the eight-LED HiLight array on Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro Fold running Android 17 (API 37). It offers color and pattern controls, presets and rules that can tie the lights to apps, contacts and device activity. The project lists root, Shizuku and ADB as ways to grant access to Android’s lights service; these steps follow its Shizuku route.

What you need

Before setting up the app, check that you have:

  • A Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL or Pixel 11 Pro Fold running Android 17 (API 37).
  • HiLight Studio and Shizuku installed.
  • Access to Android’s Developer options and Wireless debugging.

Root is not required for the Shizuku route. HiLight Studio also lists root and ADB as alternatives for accessing the lights service.

Set up HiLight Studio with Shizuku

  1. Enable Developer options. Tap the phone’s Build number seven times. Android uses this step to unlock the developer settings.
  2. Turn on Wireless debugging. Find it in Developer options; Shizuku uses it to pair with the phone.
  3. Pair Shizuku. Start Shizuku’s pairing process and enter the code displayed by Android’s Wireless debugging screen.
  4. Start Shizuku. Return to Shizuku and start its service after pairing.
  5. Request access in HiLight Studio. Open the app’s Setup section and request Shizuku access.
  6. Approve the request. Grant HiLight Studio the access prompt to let it use the lights service.

Choose colors, effects and rules

HiLight Studio offers solid colors, animated patterns and presets, including colors derived from wallpaper. Its rules can respond to notifications, a particular contact or chat, or the app in the foreground. You can also set a rule for when the phone is face down, or use the active microphone or camera state as a trigger.

Notification rules require notification access, and foreground-app rules require usage access. The project says microphone and camera activity rules use Android’s active-state information without those two permissions.

To check an effect, choose one from the Live screen and run its preview. The preview lasts four seconds before returning to the saved style.

Effect limits and reboot maintenance

HiLight Studio sets limits on how long its effects can run and how often the lights can stay active:

  • Ambient effects turn off after 30 seconds by default; the timeout can be increased to five minutes.
  • Notification effects are capped at one minute. Microphone and camera activity effects have a one-minute maximum per continuous use.
  • Brightness tapers after 10 seconds of continuous light, and the array can be active for no more than half of any 10-minute window.
  • Battery Saver, low battery, quiet hours, screen state and Do Not Disturb can pause output.

After each phone reboot, restart the HiLight Studio renderer. If you use Shizuku, restart its service as well. These are project-set operating limits and maintenance steps.

Who makes HiLight Studio?

HiLight Studio is an experimental project, not a Google app. The project identifies Dhananjay Bhosale as its developer and says it is not affiliated with or endorsed by Google. Its developer also says that app rules and presets stay on the device, and that the app has no analytics, account system or telemetry.