06 — Guides
Standing Desk Height Calculator
A starting number for your stature, plus the elbow test to fine-tune it — so the desk fits you, not the other way around.
Your standing-desk height is roughly your elbow height standing — for most people a little over 60% of their total height. Enter your height below for a starting number, then confirm it with the elbow test. These are estimates to tune from, not exact prescriptions.
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Standing-desk height calculator
- Standing desk height
- 43.4" / 110 cm
- Elbows ~90°, forearms level
- Seated desk height
- 28.7" / 73 cm
- For your sit half of the day
- Monitor top / eye level
- 65.1" / 165 cm
- Top of screen at or just below eye height
These are starting estimates from stature-relative ratios, not exact measurements. Fine-tune with the elbow test: stand relaxed, bend your elbows to about 90°, and set the desk so your hands rest on the keyboard without shrugging or reaching down.
How to use the numbers
The calculator uses stature-relative ratios to estimate your standing-desk height (elbow height), a seated desk height for the sitting half of your day, and where the top of your monitor should sit. They're starting points — bodies vary in proportion, so finish with the elbow test: stand relaxed, bend your elbows to about 90°, and set the desk so your hands rest on the keyboard without shrugging up or reaching down.
Standing-desk height by height (chart)
These are approximate starting heights; use them as a sanity check on the calculator.
| Your height | Approx. standing desk height |
|---|---|
| 5'4" (163 cm) | ~40" (101 cm) |
| 5'7" (170 cm) | ~42" (106 cm) |
| 5'10" (178 cm) | ~44" (111 cm) |
| 6'1" (185 cm) | ~45.5" (116 cm) |
| 6'4" (193 cm) | ~47.5" (121 cm) |
Why height matters so much
A desk set too high hikes your shoulders; too low makes you hunch. Both undo the benefit of standing and are common causes of standing-desk back and neck pain. If you share a desk or your ideal height falls near the top or bottom of a desk's range, make sure the desk you buy actually reaches it — check the range in our standing-desk picks.
Getting the monitor to eye level is the other half; the calculator gives you that number too, and a monitor arm is the easiest way to hit it.
Questions
Frequently asked
What height should my standing desk be for my height?
How do I know if my standing desk is at the right height?
What height should my monitor be?
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Sources
We do not run a testing lab, and we do not pretend to. We verify certifications in the certifying body's own registry, compile specs from manufacturer manuals, and cite health claims to recognized authorities — by name, with a link. Where we could not verify something, we say so on the page rather than quietly leaving it out. Read our full method.