Windows 11’s new speed test tool is just another way to promote Bing — but Microsoft has time to fix it

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In 2025, a fast and reliable internet connection is crucial for most people. Whether you enjoy streaming games, watching videos, or backing up your files, it’s important to know if your internet speed is good enough. Microsoft will soon add an internet speed test directly into Windows 11, making it easy to check.

It turns out the speed test tool included with Windows isn’t a fully integrated feature – it’s simply a quick way to launch a network speed test from Bing in your web browser. Fortunately, Microsoft is aware of the issue and has time to address it.

A user named phantomofearth on X discovered the new feature, which is currently available in recent preview versions of Windows 11.

Zac Bowden, our Senior Editor, has already written about the new speed test coming to Windows 11. He notes it will probably be a few months before everyone gets to use it.

Honestly, Microsoft could always tweak things under the hood, but I’m not expecting them to build a truly seamless, built-in experience. I’m keeping my fingers crossed, though!

Bing offers a simple speed test that quickly shows you your internet connection’s performance, including how fast you can download and upload data, as well as connection latency. It works much like other well-known speed tests, such as Speedtest and Fast.com.

I’m not questioning if the feature will work – the Bing Dashboard already proves they can build functional tools, like the speed tester. My real concern is whether the way it’s being built now will be the same as the finished version.

It would be convenient to be able to test your internet speed directly from the Windows 11 Taskbar. A shortcut in the menu that appears when you right-click the network icon in the system tray, or within the Wi-Fi quick settings, would also be a helpful feature.

It’s debatable whether people actually *need* extra “features” in Windows 11 that simply link to websites. Some might see these as unnecessary additions, or “bloatware.” However, others argue that many users aren’t aware of helpful online tools like Speedtest by Ookla or Fast.com, making a built-in network speed test potentially useful.

A better approach might be to include Bing’s speed test directly within Windows, accessible as a small window from the Taskbar. However, some users who don’t need it might see this as unnecessary clutter.

Someone named Longman suggested a clever idea in response to Bowden’s post: a widget for the taskbar.

Since the network speed test is currently only available to a limited number of users, Microsoft has the opportunity to gather feedback and refine the tool before a wider release.

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2025-09-15 15:39