Recently, Microsoft released Windows 11 stable build for the general public. But still, Windows 11 doesn’t come with an Internet Speed Meter. Like, we get in the Android status bar. Yes, by going into Task Manager > Performance > Wi-Fi (Or Ethernet). You can check your current Internet speed. But, there isn’t any option to get a real-time internet speed meter in the Windows Taskbar. That means, there isn’t any way to check, how much your Computer is consuming the internet in real-time.
In this situation, third-party network speed indicator Software comes in handy. There are many free and paid tools available to show internet speed in the Taskbar. But, In this post, I will suggest to you some best tools. These tools will show you real-time internet upload and download speed on your Windows PC.
How Internet Speed Meter is helpful?
Network Speed Meter is very helpful if you don’t have a high-speed or stable Internet connection. In Windows, updates get downloaded automatically. And, if you have a slow connection, then, it can affect the work that you’re doing. Also, If your Internet speed fluctuates. Then, keeping an eye on real-time Internet speed is useful. Basically, it will help you to track connection problems.
Best Internet Speed Meter for Windows.
NetSpeedMonitor. (Free)
If you’re looking for free Internet Speed Monitor software. That can show you real-time download and upload speed. Then, this is the best tool, which you can use. There isn’t any specific site to download this software. You can download it from Softpedia for free. Though, this tool is designed to run only on Windows XP, Vista, and 7. So, it might not work directly in Windows 8 and 10, and Windows 11. You have to run the installer in compatibility mode.
1. Download NetSpeedMonitor from Softpedia. Right-Click on the installer > Click on Properties.
2. Click on the Compatibility tab > Mark the “Run this program in compatibility mode for” and click on OK.
3. Now, you can install it and you will not get any compatibility error.
4. After installing NetSpeedMonitor, Right-click on the taskbar. Go to Toolbars and click on “NetSpeedMonitor”.
Note: In Windows 11 you won’t find the Toolbars option. So, scroll down, and you will find a tool to enable Toolbars.
5. NetSpeedMonitor one-time setup window will now appear. Select the right network interface from it. And, click on save.
6. That’s it. You will now be able to see the speed meter by NetSpeedMonitor in Taskbar.
7. Right-Click on Net Speed Meter, and choose the “Configuration” option. You can select Bitrate and customize it.
NetWorx (Windows, macOS, and Linux.)
NetWorx is one of the most powerful tools to measure Internet Speed. It also helps to track suspicious activity on the network, like, hacker attacks and trojan horses. You can also use it as a bandwidth monitor if you have limited Internet. NetWorx also can identify the possible reasons or sources of network issues. The Software also can send you a visual and sound alert when the connection is down. Or, when some suspicious activity is occurring in Windows. With Networx, You can always see statistics of monthly and weekly bandwidth usage.
And, yes, you can enable Internet Speed Meter in Windows Taskbar or Toolbar. And, the speed meter will show you real-time upload and download speed. You can also customize the speed indicator graph. There are multiple graph types available to select. Like, histograms, numeric, polylines, and columns. You can also select the transfer rate unit between Bytes and Bits. But, I suggest you select Bytes/s.
Install Networx and Show Internet Speed Meter in Taskbar.
1. First, download the latest version of Networx and install it like normal Windows software. (During installation select recommended settings only.)
2. After installing it successfully, NetWorx welcome window will appear. Select Language and Click on Next.
3. Now NetWorx will ask you to select your Internet Connection. You can either select a specific connection or can keep it on “All Connections”.
4. Click on Next, and then click on Finish.
5. To show the Internet speed meter now in the toolbar. Right-Click anywhere in the taskbar. And then, take the mouse pointer over Toolbars. And, mark the “NetWorx Desk Band” option.
6. That’s it. You will be able to see real-time download/upload speed in Taskbar.
7. And, to customize graph settings, Right-Click on the Networx icon, and then click on Settings. (Don’t forget to select Bytes/s in the transfer unit rate. And, Apply the settings.)
DU Meter.
After NetWorx, DU Meter is the best Internet Speed Meter for Windows 10 and Windows 11. DU Meter comes with 30 days of free trial. And, if you find it useful then you can buy its license. There are two license plans available to choose from. Single-user and business licenses and Family Pack. Currently, for Indian users, it is available for $9.95. DU meter also allows adding a speed meter in the taskbar. And, that’s all you wanted.
You can customize the color & sound of the DU Meter. So basically, you can do audible network monitoring. Also, you can customize the traffic monitor Graph. Apart from the taskbar or toolbar, you can enable a floating window of the DU Speed monitor. The data transfer rate unit option is also available. It also shows the highest Internet speed.
1. Download DU Meter and install it on your Windows PC.
2. To enable Network Speed Monitor in the taskbar. Right-Click on the toolbar. Take the mouse pointer on Toolbars > Click on “DU Meter” to enable.
3. That’s it, now you will be able to see upload and download speed in Taskbar.
4. To enable or disable the floating Internet speed Monitor, Right-Click on the DU Meter icon. And, click on the Show/Hide DU Meter option. And, by clicking on “User options”, you can access settings. Can customize DU Meter.
Get Back Windows 11 Quick Launch Toolbar.
Microsoft has removed Quick Launch Toolbar in its latest version of Windows 11. And, all the mentioned Network speed monitor work with the Toolbar option. So, if you want to get back the toolbar option, then you have to install Explorer Patcher from Github. It’s a free and open-source add-on for Windows 11, that enables Windows 10 toolbar in Windows 11.
1. Simply download ExplorerPatcher from GitHub. Click on the Assets section to get the setup file.
2. Run the setup. Windows Protected screen might appear, click on More Info > Run Anyway.
3. UAC window will appear, click on Yes.
4. The screen will go black for a minute. And, after that, when you right-click on the taskbar you will get the toolbar option.
Yes, if you like you can uninstall it from Control Panel.
Summing-up
So, these are some of the best speed-tracking software for Windows 10/11. Personally, I found “NetSpeedMonitor” best. Because it’s free and offers what exactly you want. DU Meter and Networx come with a trial period. But, offers many other features, that’s why you need to buy a subscription. Though, if you don’t want to spend to get some extra features. Then, NetSpeedMonitor is best for you.