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Desk & Monitor Height Calculator

Enter your height to get a starting point for your desk, chair, standing desk and monitor. Results update as you type, in centimetres and inches.

Units
cm

Sitting

AChair seat heightFeet flat, thighs level, knees about 90°–
BDesk / keyboard heightLevel with your elbows, shoulders relaxed–
CTop of monitorAt or slightly below eye level (from the floor)–
DScreen distanceAbout an arm's length from your eyes–

Standing

BStanding desk heightElbows at about 90°, wrists straight–
CTop of monitorAt or slightly below standing eye level–

These are estimates based on average body proportions, so treat them as a starting point and adjust for comfort. Everything runs in your browser.

How this desk height calculator works

Desk, chair and screen heights follow from a few body measurements: how high the back of your knee is when you sit, how high your elbow sits above the chair, and where your eyes are. Those measurements scale closely with overall height, so the calculator estimates them from your height using average body proportions, then adds about 2.5 cm (1 in) if you wear shoes.

The aim is the posture most ergonomics guides describe: feet flat on the floor, thighs roughly level, elbows bent at about 90 degrees with shoulders relaxed, wrists straight, and the top of the screen at or a little below eye level.

How to set up your desk in five steps

  1. Chair first. Set the seat so your feet rest flat and your knees are about level with your hips.
  2. Desk or keyboard next. With your arms relaxed at your sides and elbows bent at 90 degrees, the keyboard should sit at elbow height or very slightly below.
  3. Fixed desk too high? Raise the chair until your elbows reach the desk, then add a footrest under your feet.
  4. Monitor. Put the top line of text at or just below eye level, about an arm's length away. Lower it a little more if you wear bifocals or progressive lenses.
  5. Laptop? Raise it on a stand to bring the screen up, and use a separate keyboard and mouse at elbow height.

Desk height chart by height

Quick reference values from the same calculation, with shoes on.

Your heightChair seatSitting deskStanding desk

Questions

How high should my desk be?

At about your seated elbow height. For someone around 175 cm (5 ft 9 in), that is usually 68 to 72 cm (27 to 28 in) for sitting and 108 to 111 cm (43 to 44 in) for standing.

How high should my monitor be?

The top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level and roughly an arm's length away, around 50 to 75 cm (20 to 30 in).

Is a standard 74 cm (29 in) desk right for me?

Standard desks suit taller people best. If your recommended sitting desk height is lower than your desk, raise your chair and use a footrest. Enter your desk height above for the exact amounts.

How often should I switch between sitting and standing?

There is no single rule. Changing position and taking a short movement break every 30 to 60 minutes works better than standing for hours.

Sources: OSHA Computer Workstations eTool: Monitors and Neutral working postures. This page is for general information and is not medical advice.