Standing Desk Height Calculator
Enter your height to get the optimal standing desk surface height (both metric and imperial), the comfortable adjustment range, the correct eye-level monitor position, and a visual overview of the ergonomic zone your desk should fall within.
Unit
cm
Desk surface level with your elbows at a 90° angle when standing
- 1
Ergonomic elbow ratio
0.63Elbow height is approximately 63 % of standing height based on ergonomic research. - 2
Optimal desk height
175 × 0.63 = 110.3
How does this calculator work?
Set your standing desk surface at roughly 63 % of your height (61–65 % is comfortable for most people), which puts your forearms parallel to the floor. Position the monitor top at eye level (≈ 94 % of height). Enter your height to get exact numbers in cm or inches.
Formula
How this is calculated
The gold-standard ergonomic recommendation is that the desk surface should be level with your elbows when your arms hang naturally at your sides and your forearms are parallel to the floor. Research on office ergonomics consistently puts elbow height at roughly 63 % of total standing height, with a comfortable range of 61–65 % depending on individual build and preferred wrist angle.
For the monitor, the top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level so your neck stays in a neutral position — about 94 % of your standing height — with the centre of the monitor roughly 15° below that. Recommended viewing distance is 50–70 cm from your eyes. If you are switching between sitting and standing with the same desk, look for a model whose adjustment range spans roughly 60–70 % of your height for sitting and 61–65 % for standing.
These percentages are averages from biomechanical studies and work well for most adults. If you have an unusually long torso relative to your legs, or if you prefer to type with your wrists angled down slightly (a common preference), shift the desk 2–3 cm lower than the calculated ideal.
Frequently asked questions
Typing is done with forearms roughly parallel to the floor, so the elbow-height rule applies directly. Writing by hand tends to feel more natural with the surface 2–4 cm lower, which keeps the writing arm at a slight downward angle. If you do both, choose a desk height midway and adjust with a wrist rest.
Anti-fatigue mats are typically 1–2 cm thick. If you stand on one, subtract its height from your calculated desk height so your elbows stay level — otherwise you will end up with the desk effectively 1–2 cm too low.
Rarely — seated elbow height is typically around 65–70 cm for most adults, well below the 100–110 cm typical standing desk height. Sit-stand desks solve this with a motorised or hand-crank mechanism. If you must use a fixed-height desk, prioritise the mode you spend more time in and adjust with a monitor arm or keyboard tray for the other.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Standing Desk Height Calculator [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/standing-desk-height-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Standing Desk Height Calculator." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/standing-desk-height-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Standing Desk Height Calculator," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/standing-desk-height-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_standing_desk_height_calculator, title = {Standing Desk Height Calculator}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/standing-desk-height-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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