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Monitor Height Chart: Where the Top of Your Screen Should Be
The top of your screen should sit at or slightly below eye level. Find your height to see roughly where that is from the floor, sitting and standing, plus how to set it up for glasses, laptops and sit-stand desks.
Top of the screen, by your height
OSHA's computer workstation guidance puts the top line of the screen at or slightly below eye level, at least 20 in from your eyes. Here's roughly where that is, measured from the floor:
| Your height | Sitting | Standing | On a walking pad |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4'10" | 41.3″ | 55.3″ | 59.8″ |
| 4'11" | 42.0″ | 56.2″ | 60.7″ |
| 5'0" | 42.7″ | 57.1″ | 61.6″ |
| 5'1" | 43.4″ | 58.1″ | 62.6″ |
| 5'2" | 44.1″ | 59.0″ | 63.5″ |
| 5'3" | 44.8″ | 60.0″ | 64.4″ |
| 5'4" | 45.5″ | 60.9″ | 65.4″ |
| 5'5" | 46.2″ | 61.8″ | 66.3″ |
| 5'6" | 46.9″ | 62.8″ | 67.2″ |
| 5'7" | 47.5″ | 63.7″ | 68.2″ |
| 5'8" | 48.2″ | 64.6″ | 69.1″ |
| 5'9" | 48.9″ | 65.6″ | 70.1″ |
| 5'10" | 49.6″ | 66.5″ | 71.0″ |
| 5'11" | 50.3″ | 67.4″ | 71.9″ |
| 6'0" | 51.0″ | 68.4″ | 72.9″ |
| 6'1" | 51.7″ | 69.3″ | 73.8″ |
| 6'2" | 52.4″ | 70.2″ | 74.7″ |
| 6'3" | 53.1″ | 71.2″ | 75.7″ |
| 6'4" | 53.8″ | 72.1″ | 76.6″ |
| 6'5" | 54.5″ | 73.1″ | 77.5″ |
| 6'6" | 55.2″ | 74.0″ | 78.5″ |
| 6'7" | 55.9″ | 74.9″ | 79.4″ |
| 6'8" | 56.6″ | 75.9″ | 80.4″ |
Source for the placement rule: OSHA computer workstations eTool: monitors. Eye heights are estimates; measure yours if you can.
Setting it up
Measure, then adjust
Sit as you normally work, look straight ahead and have someone mark the wall at eye level. Set the top of the screen at or just below that mark, then tilt the screen back slightly.
Glasses and big screens
Bifocal wearers look through the bottom of their lenses, so OSHA suggests setting the screen lower than usual to avoid tilting your head back. Large and ultrawide screens usually sit a little lower and further away, so your eyes aren't working near the top edge.
Laptops
A laptop screen on a desk sits far below eye level. Raise it on a stand and use a separate keyboard and mouse; see our mouse and keyboard guides.
Sit-stand desks
Your eyes rise about 16 in when you stand (at 5'6"), but the desk rises with you by a similar amount, so the screen usually stays roughly right. A monitor arm lets you fine-tune it, and helps most if you use a walking pad.
Heights are estimates from average body proportions, measured from the floor in regular shoes (about 1 in); barefoot, subtract about 1 in. Long legs or a long torso can shift them by an inch or two, so fine-tune with our calculator.
FAQ
How high should my monitor be at 5'6"?
With the top of the screen at or slightly below eye level: about 46.9 in from the floor sitting, 62.8 in standing.
How far away should my monitor be?
OSHA puts the preferred viewing distance at 20–40 in, about an arm's length; larger screens usually sit toward the far end.
Should the monitor be at eye level or below?
The top line of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level, so you look slightly down at the middle of the screen.