Microsoft Just Dropped a Built-In Windows 11 Speed Test—But There’s a Catch

If your internet feels sluggish, the first move is usually to fire up a network speed test. A slow result? Blame your Wi-Fi. A fast result? Maybe it’s the website, browser, or device acting up. Windows 11 users are about to get a shortcut that puts this test one right-click away—but it’s not quite the native solution you might expect.

In the latest Release Preview Channel update for Windows 11 Insiders, Microsoft quietly rolled out a “Perform speed test” option right in the network icon’s right-click menu. Sounds slick, right? Here’s the twist: clicking it doesn’t launch a Microsoft-made tool. Instead, it opens Bing in your browser, which then loads a simplified Internet Speed Test powered by Ookla’s Speedtest.net—yes, the same Speedtest.net you’ve probably used a dozen times before.

Now, before you accuse Microsoft of just slapping a link on your taskbar, know this: Speedtest has actually offered this Bing-integrated speed test since December 2023. The novelty here is that it’s now accessible directly from the Windows taskbar, making it faster to launch than ever.

Still, the convenience comes with quirks. You can’t avoid Bing—even if you’ve set a different search engine as default—and you’re still relying on a web-based tool rather than a true native Windows app. For some, that’s a dealbreaker; for others, the one-click access might win out over opening a full browser tab.

What Else Is New in This Release Preview Update?

Microsoft didn’t stop at speed tests. The update also brings:

• Camera control settings: New options to pan and tilt connected cameras directly from Windows settings.
• Fresh emojis: Including the “face with bags under eyes” and “harp” emojis.
• Widget settings overhaul: The Widget menu now takes up a full page for easier customization.
• WebP wallpaper support: You can now set .webp files as your desktop background without converting them first.

These features are available now for Windows Insiders in the Release Preview Channel. While enrolling in the Windows Insider Program can mean dealing with occasional instability, the Release Preview Channel is the safest bet—it’s reserved for updates that have already passed extensive testing.

Want to try it out? You can enroll in the Windows Insider Program here. Just remember: with great early access comes the occasional bug.

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