Remember back in the Windows 7 days when testing your internet speed meant relying on third-party tools and a good dose of faith?
Fast forward to Windows 11, and Microsoft is gradually weaving in small but practical improvements—sometimes subtle, sometimes bold. The latest Insider builds reveal a handy addition: the ability to run a speed test directly from the taskbar’s network icon.
Speed Test from the Taskbar
The feature shows up in two places:
- As a “Run Speed Test” option when you right-click the network icon in the system tray.
- As a button in the quick Wi-Fi panel.
Clicking either shortcut opens your default browser and runs Bing’s built-in speed test. It’s not a native meter that displays results directly in the taskbar—at least not yet—but it’s a neat shortcut that eliminates the need for extra apps.
Currently, the feature is hidden in Insider Dev and Beta builds and hasn’t been officially announced, so it may take weeks (or even months) before it lands in the stable release of Windows 11.
The network icon in the system tray’s context menu and the Wi-Fi quick settings page in Windows 11 are getting buttons to let you quickly run a network speed test. (Takes you to Bing to do the speed test.) pic.twitter.com/ZXcQvs5BP8
— phantomofearth 🌳 (@phantomofearth) September 13, 2025
Shortcut or Native Feature?
While some might argue this is just a glorified web link, it does make sense. Many users already head to speed test sites when troubleshooting connectivity issues or verifying ISP performance.
Having this action built into Windows centralizes the process and saves a few clicks. Still, a truly native implementation that measures speeds directly in Windows would be the ideal evolution.
This change fits into Microsoft’s broader “quality of life” update strategy, where small but useful features—like Start menu tweaks, widget upgrades, and multipoint audio improvements—roll out in waves.
Rather than tying everything to major updates like 24H2 or 25H2, Microsoft experiments in Insider builds and enables features through controlled rollouts when ready.
With this new option, Windows 11 keeps inching toward a smoother, more integrated user experience.
