Windows 11’s New “Speed Test” Feature: A Gimmick or a Genuine Upgrade?

In the Windows 11 Insider Preview, Microsoft has introduced a more convenient network speed testing feature that sits in the system tray beside the network icon. Users can launch the test by right-clicking the network symbol, or from the Wi‑Fi icon’s dropdown, but it remains not a native Windows feature and instead opens Bing’s built‑in speed test via Microsoft Edge.

In practice, when the test is triggered, Edge is launched and results come from Bing, which relies on SpeedTest for measurements, so accuracy is not a concern; the issue is the lack of native Windows integration. A truly integrated approach would have shown results within Windows itself, rather than redirecting through a browser, making the experience less seamless.

The feature is already available in the Windows 11 Beta, Dev, and Canary builds and is expected to roll out to the stable release, with Windows 11 24H2 and 25H2 users also able to access it once available, according to Microsoft.