How to Show Internet Speed on the Windows 10 Taskbar
Add a live upload and download meter to the Windows 10 taskbar with NetSpeedMonitor, understand Mbps versus MB/s, and see your options on Windows 11.
Key takeaway
Install it in compatibility mode, pick your network adapter, and set the unit to MB/s.
In this article9 sections · 6 min read
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Windows does not show your live internet speed on the taskbar. If you want to see at a glance whether a download is moving, whether an upload has stalled or whether something is eating your bandwidth in the background, a small meter next to the clock is very handy.
I use a free tool called NetSpeedMonitor for this on Windows 10. It adds a small upload and download meter to the taskbar and also records how much data you use each day and month. Here is how to install it, set it up so it is easy to read, and what to use instead on Windows 11.
Before you start: Windows 10 or Windows 11?
NetSpeedMonitor is an older program. It attaches itself to the taskbar as a toolbar, which works on Windows 10. Windows 11 redesigned the taskbar and removed support for toolbars, so this method will not show the meter there. If you are on Windows 11, skip to the section on Windows 11 options below.
Check your Windows version
Windows 10 and 11 need different tools
Step 1: Install in compatibility mode
Because NetSpeedMonitor was made for older versions of Windows, its installer may refuse to run on Windows 10 at first. Compatibility mode fixes that. It tells the installer to behave as if it were running on an older Windows version.
- Download NetSpeedMonitor (link in the tools and files for this tutorial).
- Right-click the installer and open Properties, then Compatibility.
- Tick Run this program in compatibility mode for, choose an older Windows version such as Windows 7, then click Apply and OK.
- Run the installer and follow the steps.
Step 2: Add it to the taskbar
- Open Program Files, then the NetSpeedMonitor folder, and double-click the program.
- When it asks to add the toolbar to the taskbar, click Yes.
If you do not see the meter, right-click an empty part of the taskbar, open Toolbars and make sure NetSpeedMonitor is ticked.
Step 3: Configure it
Right-click the meter and open Configuration. These are the settings I change:
- Network interface: choose your active adapter. That is Ethernet (for example Realtek PCIe) if you use a cable, or your Wi-Fi adapter if you are wireless. If the meter shows zero all the time, the wrong adapter is selected.
- Unit: switch from kilobits to KB/s or MB/s, which is easier to read. More on this below.
- Layout: set alignment to middle and center so the text does not touch the taskbar edge.
- Font: Roboto or Segoe UI matches Windows best.
- Digits: six digits is plenty.
Step 3 · the settings
Make the meter easy to read
- Right-click the meter
- Configuration
- Apply
A meter stuck on zero means the wrong adapter is selected.
Bits or bytes? The confusing part, explained
Internet providers advertise speed in megabits per second, written Mbps, with a small b. Downloads in your browser usually show megabytes per second, written MB/s, with a big B. One byte is eight bits.
So a 100 Mbps connection downloads at about 12.5 MB/s at its best. If your meter shows 12 MB/s on a 100 Mbps plan, your connection is doing great. People often think they are getting one eighth of what they pay for, when it is just a different unit.
Small b, big B
The same speed, written two ways
I set the meter to MB/s because it matches what download windows show, so the numbers are easy to compare.
Check your data use
Right-click the meter and open Data Traffic. You can see upload and download totals by day or month. In one month I uploaded 18 GB and downloaded 77 GB. This is useful if your connection has a data cap, or if you want to know how much your uploads to YouTube and cloud storage really use.
Windows 11 options
Since toolbars do not work on the Windows 11 taskbar, you have two simple choices:
- Task Manager: press Ctrl + Shift + Esc, open Performance and click Ethernet or Wi-Fi. You get a live graph of send and receive speed. It is built in and needs nothing extra.
- A dedicated meter app: some free, open-source apps, such as TrafficMonitor, can show a small speed meter on or near the Windows 11 taskbar. Only download these from their official project pages.
If something does not work
- The installer will not start: check that compatibility mode is set, and run the installer as administrator.
- The meter shows zero: pick a different network interface in Configuration.
- The meter disappeared after a Windows update: re-enable it from the Toolbars menu, or run the program once more from its folder.
The short version
On Windows 10, install NetSpeedMonitor in compatibility mode, add it to the taskbar, pick your active network adapter and set the unit to MB/s. On Windows 11, use Task Manager or a dedicated meter app instead.
