About the Desk Height Calculator
This desk height calculator estimates an ergonomic workstation set-up from a single number: your height. It gives the chair seat height, the sitting desk (keyboard) height, the standing desk height and where the top of your monitor should be when sitting and standing, plus the recommended screen distance.
The heights follow standard human body proportions — for example, elbow height is about 63% of standing height and the back of the knee about 25% — combined with the usual ergonomic targets: feet flat with thighs roughly level, forearms horizontal with elbows bent about 90° at the keyboard, and the top line of the screen at or slightly below eye level, as recommended by OSHA. An allowance for shoes is included because desks are used with footwear on.
Use it when buying a standing desk, adjusting an office chair or setting up a home office. Bodies vary — long legs or a long torso shift the ideal numbers — so treat the results as a starting point, then fine-tune: your shoulders should be relaxed, wrists straight and neck neutral. If the desk cannot go low enough, raise the chair and add a footrest.
With the default inputs, the sitting desk / keyboard height is 70.8. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the desk height calculator
- 1Choose centimetres or feet and inches and enter your height without shoes.
- 2Set a shoe allowance for the footwear you wear at your desk.
- 3Adjust your chair to the seat height, then your desk or keyboard tray to the desk height.
- 4Raise or lower your monitor so its top edge is at the monitor height, about an arm’s length away.
- 5For standing, set the desk to the standing height and re-check that your elbows are near 90°.
Formula and method
H is your standing height. The chair seat should match the height of the back of your knee (popliteal height, about 25% of stature) plus your shoe heel, so your feet rest flat with thighs roughly horizontal. The keyboard surface should sit at elbow height with the upper arm hanging relaxed: about 14% of stature above the seat when sitting, or about 63% of stature from the floor when standing.
OSHA recommends that the top of the monitor be at or slightly below eye level and the screen 20–40 in (50–100 cm) from your eyes. Seated eye height is about 45% of stature above the seat and standing eye height about 93.6% of stature. These proportions are population averages (after Drillis and Contini), so individual leg and torso lengths can shift the ideal by a few centimetres.
- H
- Standing height without shoes
- shoe
- Heel height of the shoes you wear at the desk
Worked examples
175 cm tall, everyday shoes
Seat = 0.25 × 175 + 2.5 = 46.3 cm. Sitting desk = 46.25 + 0.14 × 175 = 70.8 cm, and the monitor top sits at 46.25 + 0.45 × 175 = 125 cm. Standing, the desk goes to 0.63 × 175 + 2.5 = 112.8 cm and the monitor top to 166.3 cm.
160 cm tall
A 160 cm person needs a seat of 42.5 cm and a sitting desk of 64.9 cm — lower than most fixed desks, so a keyboard tray, or a higher chair plus footrest, helps. The standing desk height is 103.3 cm.
6 ft 2 in tall (imperial)
At 74 in with a 1 in heel, the seat is 0.25 × 74 + 1 = 19.5 in, the sitting desk 19.5 + 0.14 × 74 = 29.9 in and the standing desk 0.63 × 74 + 1 = 47.6 in.
190 cm, working barefoot
Without a shoe allowance the seat is 0.25 × 190 = 47.5 cm and the sitting desk 47.5 + 26.6 = 74.1 cm, close to a standard desk. Standing, the desk should be 119.7 cm.
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct desk height for my height?+
Your desk or keyboard should be at seated elbow height so your forearms are level. For a 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) person in shoes that is about 71 cm (28 in); for 160 cm about 65 cm; for 190 cm about 76 cm.
How high should a standing desk be?+
Set it to your standing elbow height with shoulders relaxed — roughly 63% of your height plus your shoe heel. That is about 113 cm (44 in) for a 175 cm person and 104 cm (41 in) for a 160 cm person.
How high should my monitor be?+
OSHA recommends that the top of the screen be at or slightly below eye level, with the centre of the screen about 15–20° below your horizontal line of sight, and the screen 20–40 inches (50–100 cm) from your eyes.
What if my desk is too high?+
Raise your chair until your elbows are level with the keyboard, then add a footrest so your feet remain supported and your thighs stay roughly horizontal. A keyboard tray below the desk surface is another option.
How often should I switch between sitting and standing?+
There is no single official rule, but ergonomists generally advise changing posture regularly rather than standing all day. Alternating every 30–60 minutes and taking short movement breaks is a common, practical approach.
This tool gives general estimates and is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or qualified professional about your health, diet or training.