How to display Internet speed on Windows Taskbar

Computer running slow? Want to know if it's an Internet problem or a computer problem? Are programs running in the background slowing everything down or is the Internet speed slow? You want to quickly check your Internet speed, but Windows doesn't provide a native app to monitor speed. Luckily there are some solutions to help you do this.

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Display Internet speed on Windows Taskbar using TrafficMonitor

To display Internet speed on Windows Taskbar, follow these steps:

1. Visit MajorGeek's official website to download TrafficMonitor.

2. Unzip the downloaded folder (see different ways to extract ZIP files on Windows) and you will see an executable file to run the tool, so you don't need to install the tool.

3. Click the Yes button in the UAC window.

4. Initially, the main window of the application will display your Internet download and upload speed.

5. To display these numbers on the taskbar, right-click the tool's main window and select Show Taskbar Window .

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6. When Internet speed appears on the taskbar, right-click the main window or taskbar and uncheck Show Main Window . This will hide the tool's main window.

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That's how TrafficMonitor displays Internet speed on the taskbar. This tool allows you to select the network connection you want to monitor and change the font, font size, background color, and display unit of the screen, among other options. Depending on your preferences, you can change the display settings in the Option Settings window .

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TrafficMonitor tool makes it extremely easy to monitor and display Internet speed on the taskbar. By now, you should have a better understanding of how to set up the tool and customize its screens. With TrafficMonitor, you can quickly check if your Internet is stable or needs immediate attention.

Display Internet speed on Windows Taskbar using NetSpeedMonitor

You can monitor upload and download speeds on the Taskbar by installing a small, simple tool called NetSpeedMonitor. This is an old program but still effective and completely free.

Features of NetSpeedMonitor

To use NetSpeedMonitor, you need to be running Windows XP or higher. The program was developed for an earlier version of Windows, but if you use Windows 10, you can run the program in compatibility mode without installing it.

You must make sure to download the correct program. The file name will end with x64_setup. If you use a file ending in x86_setup, it will not run on Windows 10 even if you have used compatibility mode.

NetSpeedMonitor doesn't have many extra features so it's very easy to use. It also has no ads.

Install NetSpeedMonitor

Step 1 . Download and install NetSpeedMonitor. If the settings are correct, you can skip and go to Step 8.

Step 2 . If you see the message Operating system not supported error , you need to run the application in compatibility mode.

Step 3 . To run it in compatibility mode, find the downloaded file in File Explorer and right-click, select Properties .

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Step 4 . Click on the Compatibility tab .

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Step 5. Check the Run this program in compatibility mode for box and make sure the option below is Previous Versions of Windows .

Step 6 . Click Apply and OK to save changes.

Step 7 . Reinstall the program.

Step 8. When installing the program, a message appears asking if you want to add a bandwidth monitoring toolbar to the Taskbar. Click Yes .

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Step 9 . A configuration window appears so you can change the language and network adapter. If set up correctly, click Save .

Step 10 . When you press the Save button , the upload and download speed bar will appear on the right side of the Taskbar.

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Use NetSpeedMonitor

By default, NetSpeedMonitor measures Internet speed using Kbit (Kilobit). You can change it to Mbit (Megabit) because most Internet service providers report speed in Megabits/second. To change this setting, right-click on the speed screen, select Configuration , then click the drop-down menu next to Bitrate and select Mbit/s . Click Apply to apply the changes.

When you open the configuration window, you can adjust other things like font, size, and toolbar alignment.

NetSpeedMonitor is simple and easy to use to monitor upload and download speeds right on the Taskbar. You can test them anytime to make sure the Internet is working correctly.

Wishing you success!

Lesley Montoya

Update 17 October 2023