Windows 11 will soon let you run a network speed test directly from the Taskbar — no third-party tools required

Microsoft is working on a new feature for Windows 11 that will allow users to run a network speed test directly from the Taskbar's system tray, no third-party apps or websites required. The feature was first spotted by phantomofearth on X, and is hidden in the latest Windows 11 preview builds.

So far, the implementation exists as a new context menu option when right-clicking the network icon in the system tray. There's also a new button in the Wi-Fi quick settings panel that does the same thing, which is opens Bing's built-in network speed test tool in your default browser of choice.

Having the option to quickly run a network speed test directly from the Taskbar on Windows 11 will help in diagnosing potential network problems, or ensuring you're getting the upload and download speeds your paying for. Currently, most people likely use a website like speedtest.net, or a third-party program to test download speeds.

The feature is currently hidden in the latest Windows 11 preview builds that are available in the Insider Dev and Beta Channels. Given that it hasn't yet been officially announced by Microsoft, it'll likely be a few more months before said feature begins rolling out generally to all users.

Microsoft is working on a number of new features for Windows 11 that are expected to roll out in the coming months, including a brand-new Start menu that's more customizable, natural voice input for the voice access feature, mobile device settings improvements, and a new handheld gaming mode for Windows-powered handheld devices.

All of these features are yet to begin shipping officially, and are still in testing either with Windows Insiders or internally. Curiously, none of these upcoming features are tied to Windows 11 version 25H2, which is the next big version update for Windows 11. Microsoft has confirmed that version 25H2 will share the same featureset as version 24H2, which means things like the new Start menu will roll out to both when it's ready.

What are your thoughts on these improvements coming to Windows 11? Let us know in the comments.