Windows 11 Gets a Built-In Internet Speed Test

Windows 11 is getting an internet speed test built right into Quick Settings, so you can check your connection in seconds without opening a browser.

Microsoft started testing it with Windows Insiders on 23 October, in a new Experimental build.

It's most useful when your IPTV channels or streams keep buffering - because the first thing to rule out is your connection, not your app.

What the New Speed Test Does

It measures three things: download speed, upload speed and ping.

The results appear in a small window above the taskbar, in well under a minute in early tests.

• From Quick Settings. A new Speed test button sits with your Wi-Fi and volume controls.
• From the Wi-Fi menu. Open the Wi-Fi or mobile data list and start it there.
• From the network icon. Right-click the network icon on the taskbar and choose "Test internet speed".

It's powered by Speedtest, the same service many speed-test websites use. The difference is that nothing opens in your browser any more.

How to Test Your Speed Today

Windows 11 already has an older version. Right-click the network icon on the taskbar and choose the speed test option, and Windows opens a test in your browser instead.

• Test on the device that buffers. Your PC can be fast while the TV box in another room isn't, so run the test as close to it as you can.
• Test when it buffers. Evening speeds are often lower than morning ones, when everyone nearby is streaming too.
• Look at download speed first. That's the number that decides whether a stream plays smoothly.

How Fast Is Fast Enough?

Netflix recommends these steady speeds, and they're a good rule of thumb for any live TV or IPTV stream:

Add more if other people in your home are streaming or gaming at the same time. A very high ping can also cause slow starts and stalls on live channels.

Fast Internet but Still Buffering?

If your speed is well above those numbers, the problem is somewhere else. These are the usual suspects, in order.

• The player's buffer is too small. In VLC media player, raising one setting usually stops the stutter - our guide shows the one setting that stops VLC buffering.
• The channel itself is dead or overloaded. IPTV Checker tests every channel in your playlist and tells you which ones still work.
• The app isn't up to the job. On Android TV and Fire TV, a dedicated player such as TiviMate handles live channels more smoothly.

Not sure which player to use? Our list of the best free IPTV players covers every device.

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