Monitor height and distance calculator
Enter your height and your screen size to get the height of the top and bottom of the screen above your desk and a viewing distance range. If you have measured your eye height above the desk, add it and the calculator uses that instead of an estimate.
Your numbers
Enter your height to see your numbers.
The rules it uses
- The top of the screen is at or slightly below eye level. [1][2]
- The centre of the screen is about 15 to 20 degrees below horizontal eye level. Cornell puts the best centre position at around 17.5 degrees below eye level. [1][3]
- Viewing distance is 50 to 100 cm (20 to 40 in) from your eye to the screen, far enough that you can read all the text sitting upright with your back supported. [1]
How the numbers are worked out
- Screen width and height come from the diagonal and the shape. A 24 inch 16:9 screen is about 53 cm wide and 30 cm tall.
- Suggested viewing distance is 1.1 × the screen diagonal, kept between 50 and 100 cm. The range shown is 10 cm either side. This is a rule of thumb; the fixed part is the 50 to 100 cm range from OSHA.
- Eye height above the desk is 0.458 × your height minus your seated elbow height (0.143 × your height) plus 2.5 cm for the keyboard. It assumes your chair is set so your elbows are level with the keyboard. If you measured your own eye height above the desk, that replaces this.
- The top of the screen is placed so its centre falls 15 to 20 degrees below your eye line at the suggested distance, and never above eye level. Screen height is then subtracted to give the bottom edge, which tells you how high a stand or arm must hold it.
Monitor height by body height
A 24 inch 16:9 screen at its suggested distance, without JavaScript.
| Your height | Viewing distance | Eye height above desk | Top of screen above desk | Bottom of screen above desk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150 cm59.1 in | 57–77 cm22.5–30.3 in | 50 cm19.6 in | 40–47 cm15.9–18.4 in | 10–17 cm4.1–6.6 in |
| 155 cm61.0 in | 57–77 cm22.5–30.3 in | 51 cm20.2 in | 42–48 cm16.5–19.0 in | 12–18 cm4.7–7.2 in |
| 160 cm63.0 in | 57–77 cm22.5–30.3 in | 53 cm20.8 in | 43–50 cm17.1–19.6 in | 14–20 cm5.3–7.9 in |
| 165 cm65.0 in | 57–77 cm22.5–30.3 in | 54 cm21.4 in | 45–51 cm17.7–20.3 in | 15–22 cm6.0–8.5 in |
| 170 cm66.9 in | 57–77 cm22.5–30.3 in | 56 cm22.1 in | 47–53 cm18.3–20.9 in | 17–23 cm6.6–9.1 in |
| 175 cm68.9 in | 57–77 cm22.5–30.3 in | 58 cm22.7 in | 48–55 cm19.0–21.5 in | 18–25 cm7.2–9.7 in |
| 180 cm70.9 in | 57–77 cm22.5–30.3 in | 59 cm23.3 in | 50–56 cm19.6–22.1 in | 20–26 cm7.8–10.4 in |
| 185 cm72.8 in | 57–77 cm22.5–30.3 in | 61 cm23.9 in | 51–58 cm20.2–22.7 in | 21–28 cm8.4–11.0 in |
| 190 cm74.8 in | 57–77 cm22.5–30.3 in | 62 cm24.5 in | 53–59 cm20.8–23.4 in | 23–29 cm9.1–11.6 in |
| 195 cm76.8 in | 57–77 cm22.5–30.3 in | 64 cm25.2 in | 54–61 cm21.4–24.0 in | 25–31 cm9.7–12.2 in |
Viewing distance by screen size
| Screen size | Suggested distance |
|---|---|
| 24 in | 57–77 cm22.5–30.3 in |
| 27 in | 65–85 cm25.8–33.6 in |
| 32 in | 79–99 cm31.3–39.1 in |
| 34 in ultrawide | 85–100 cm33.5–39.4 in |
A few adjustments help in practice. If you wear bifocals or progressive lenses, CCOHS notes that a slightly lower screen may be more comfortable, because you look through the lower part of the lens. [2] Turn up the text size before you move a small screen closer. Put the screen straight in front of you, at right angles to windows.
Limits
These are estimates from average body proportions: rounded ratios of your height, checked against the average sitting and leg measurements in the ANSUR II survey of US Army personnel (a sample that is younger and more male than the general public) and against standard body-segment tables for the standing values. Two people with the same height can differ by several centimetres in leg length, torso length and arm length, so treat the result as a starting point and adjust from there. What matters is how you sit or stand at the desk: shoulders relaxed, elbows near your sides, wrists straight, feet supported, head over your shoulders. If a number and your body disagree, go with your body.
This page is general information. If you have numbness, tingling, weakness or pain that keeps coming back, see a clinician.
Frequently asked questions
How high should my monitor be?
The top of the screen at or slightly below eye level, according to OSHA and CCOHS. Enter your height and screen size above for the height of the top and bottom edge above your desk.
How far away should my monitor be?
OSHA gives a preferred range of 50 to 100 cm (20 to 40 in) from your eye to the screen. Sit upright with your back supported, then move the screen until you can read all the text without leaning forward.
What happens if the monitor is too high?
OSHA notes that a monitor placed too high can make you tilt your head back, which fatigues the neck and shoulder muscles. Lower it until the top edge is at or just below eye level.
Should the monitor tilt?
A few degrees of backward tilt so the screen faces your eyes squarely is common advice. It also helps with glare. The main point is that the screen sits directly in front of you.
Do I need a monitor arm or a riser?
Look at the bottom-edge height in your result. If it is higher than your stand holds the screen, add a riser or an arm. If it is lower than your stand allows, look for a stand that adjusts lower or tilts.
How do I set up two monitors?
Centre the one you look at most, and place the second beside it at the same height and distance, angled in slightly. CCOHS has a section on setting up multiple monitors in its monitor positioning page.
Sources
- OSHA. Computer Workstations eTool: Monitors.
- CCOHS. Office Ergonomics: Positioning the Monitor (OSH Answers).
- Cornell University Ergonomics Web. Computer Workstation Ergonomics Guidelines.
- ANSI/HFES 100-2007. Human Factors Engineering of Computer Workstations. Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (standards catalogue).
- Gordon CC et al. (2012). 2012 Anthropometric Survey of U.S. Army Personnel (ANSUR II). Average body sizes from this survey were used to check the body proportions here.
- ANSI/BIFMA G1-2013. Ergonomics Guideline for Furniture Used in Office Work Spaces Designed for Computer Use. BIFMA.