See your live upload and download speed next to the clock, and how much internet data you used today and this month. Free, open source, ~50 KB, no install.
Windows 11 has no built-in internet speed indicator on the taskbar, and classic tools like NetSpeedMonitor stopped working with the new taskbar. NetMeter brings it back, the Windows 11 way:
- Live upload ↑ / download ↓ speed on the taskbar, updated every second.
- Data usage on hover — today and this month, split into download and upload. The numbers come from Windows itself (the same data as Settings → Network & internet → Data usage), so they keep counting even when NetMeter isn't running.
- Top apps using your internet today, with their icons — find out what is eating your data.
- Monthly data cap friendly — start the month on your billing day and count GB the way your ISP does (1000 vs 1024).
- Looks native — Windows 11 fonts, ClearType text that matches the clock, light/dark theme, hides in full-screen games and videos.
- Never covers your apps — sits next to the tray and shrinks to fit when your taskbar fills up.
- Tiny and private — ~50 KB single exe, no install, no admin, no internet access, no telemetry.
- Download
NetMeter.exeand put it in a folder you keep, e.g.C:\Users\<you>\NetMeter\. - Run it. Windows SmartScreen may say "Windows protected your PC" because the exe isn't code-signed yet — click More info → Run anyway.
- That's it. The first run sets NetMeter to start with Windows (per-user, no admin). If you move the exe later, run it once from the new place.
Or with Scoop:
scoop bucket add ehabmansour1 https://github.com/ehabmansour1/scoop-bucket
scoop install netmeterUninstall: right-click the meter → Settings… → turn off Start with Windows → right-click → Exit, then delete the exe.
Requirements: Windows 11 with .NET Framework 4.8, which is built into Windows. (Windows 10 is untested.)
Rest the mouse on the meter to see:
- Today — total data used, with download and upload.
- This month (or your billing month) — the same for the month so far.
- Top apps today — the 3, 5 or 10 apps that used the most data, with bars.
Everything on the card can be turned on or off in Settings — for example, show only the two totals.
Right-click the meter → Settings…. Changes apply immediately.
| Tab | Settings |
|---|---|
| General | Start with Windows · update every 0.5 / 1 / 2 s · bytes (MB/s) or bits (Mbps) |
| Appearance | Text size · arrows right or left of the numbers · upload / download colors · show speeds under 1 KB/s as 0 |
| Hover card | Show the download / upload line or only totals · show top apps · number of apps (3 / 5 / 10) · delay before the card appears |
| Data | 1 GB = 1024 MB (like Windows) or 1000 MB (like ISPs) · day the month starts (match your internet bill) |
Settings are stored in HKCU\Software\NetMeter.
How do I show internet speed on the Windows 11 taskbar? Run NetMeter. It adds the upload and download speed next to the clock and starts with Windows from then on.
How can I see how much data I used this month on Windows 11? Hover over NetMeter. Set Month starts on day to your bill date to match your ISP's data cap period.
Which app is using my internet? The hover card lists today's top apps by data used.
Why do the numbers differ from my ISP? Windows counts 1 GB as 1024 MB; most ISPs count 1000 MB (about 7% more). Switch Count 1 GB as in Settings → Data.
Is it a NetSpeedMonitor / TrafficMonitor alternative? Yes — NetMeter is a lightweight Windows 11 alternative focused on taskbar speed and data usage, with no install.
Does it work with Wi-Fi, Ethernet and mobile hotspots? Yes. Speed counts all physical adapters (virtual adapters like Hyper-V and VPN tunnels are skipped so nothing is counted twice).
Does NetMeter send my data anywhere? No. It never connects to the internet — see Privacy.
Uses the C# compiler that ships with Windows — nothing to install:
powershell -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File build.ps1Release builds are made by GitHub Actions (.github/workflows/build.yml) from the tagged source.
Developer options: NetMeter.exe --dump usage.txt writes the usage numbers to a file, --card card.png saves the hover card as an image, and --demo docs redraws the README images with sample data.
NetMeter does not send any data anywhere. It only reads Windows' local network counters and data-usage records, and this program will not transfer any information to other networked systems unless specifically requested by the user. Its only stored data is its settings, in HKCU\Software\NetMeter.
Free code signing provided by SignPath.io, certificate by SignPath Foundation.
- Committers and reviewers: ehabmansour1
- Approvers: ehabmansour1
Only release builds produced by this repository's GitHub Actions workflow from tagged source are signed, and each signing request is approved manually.
- Windows 11 doesn't let apps embed into the taskbar, so NetMeter is a small always-on-top window placed just left of the tray icons.
MIT © Ehab Mansour