Monitor Height and Distance Calculator

Powered by ANSUR II anthropometric data

175 cm
Screen height decides how far below eye level the centre of the display falls, which sets the recommended viewing distance. Ultrawides are taken care of automatically, since extra width does not change screen height.
33.6 cm tall
Refines torso-to-leg ratio. Affects how seated eye and elbow heights are estimated from total body height. Click the selected option again to clear it and use the average of both.
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Flat
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Eye level

Monitor Height

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Floor to screen top

View Distance

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Viewing Angle

15° – 20°

Chair

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Desk Height

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What Is the Ideal Monitor Height?

The top of your screen should generally sit at or slightly below eye level, placing the center 15 to 20 degrees below your eyes. This is where much of the ergonomic guidance converges and what the height calculation is built around.

Looking up, even slightly is tiring quickly. A downward gaze is reported as more comfortable during prolonged computer use.

Is This Correct for Everyone?

Not necessarily. Glasses can change your gaze, so the best monitor height may differ from the standard.

Vision and Eyewear

There is not enough public research to calculate an optimal computer monitor height for every glasses wearer. Use the results as a starting point, especially if you have vision-related needs.

Eyeglass illustration of progressive lenses showing distance, computer, and reading zones, with the middle computer zone highlighted.

Multifocals

Progressives, bifocals, and trifocals combine more than one viewing correction. Distance vision is generally positioned higher in the lens, while closer viewing zones are lower.

The area best for screen distance may therefore require you to look through a lower part of the lens. With a monitor at the standard height, this can lead to tilting the head backward to see clearly. Lowering the monitor and tilting it upward can help keep the neck in a more neutral position.

Single-Vision Glasses

Single-vision lenses usually have an optical center made for looking roughly straight ahead. Looking downward at a monitor means you may be watching through a lower part of the lens.

Tilting your head can help, but it shifts the problem to your neck. Because of that, some people find a slightly higher monitor more comfortable.

Reading glasses are designed for close work, which is often nearer than a computer monitor. If the screen is beyond their intended viewing distance, it may appear blurred and encourage you to lean forward.

Computer Glasses for Screen Work

Computer glasses are designed specifically for screen work. They help your eyes focus comfortably at the distance where a computer monitor is typically placed, which is farther away than reading material.

If you spend long hours at a computer and wear reading or multifocal glasses, ask your optometrist whether computer glasses are a suitable option.

Computer glasses are designed for the typical viewing distance of a computer monitor. If you wear reading or multifocal glasses, it may be worth asking your optometrist whether computer glasses are a suitable option.

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Disclaimer: This calculator and its recommendations are for informational purposes only and are not a substitute for professional medical or ergonomic advice. Results are general estimates intended as a starting point for setting up your workstation.

How Far Should I Sit?

The distance from your eyes to the monitor should be roughly 1.7 to 2.3 times the height of your screen. That aligns with OSHA guidelines, which state 20 to 40 inches (50 to 100 cm) is generally preferred.

Two rules we built in:

  • Never closer than 40 cm (16 in), even on a small monitor.
  • Ultrawides don’t earn extra distance; they only add width which doesn’t change the center of the monitor.

If text is hard to read at your recommended distance, try increasing the font size instead of leaning in.

Adjust for your own comfort. We’re not writing you a prescription.

How the Ergonomic Math Works

The monitor height calculator estimates eye, desk and chair heights from your stature and selected sex, using regression equations based on ANSUR II, the U.S. Army’s 2012 anthropometric survey. These population-based estimates provide a useful starting point for setting up a gaming or office workstation.

Formulas used (h = height in cm)

MeasurementAveraged Formula
Standing Eye Height-9.50 + 0.980 × h
Seated Eye Height6.90 + 0.659 × h

For a sitting setup, the calculator combines sitting eye and chair height. For standing, it uses your estimated floor-to-eye height directly.

For more detail on how the chair height and desk range are calculated, see our dedicated chair and desk calculator.

The top of the monitor is then placed 3.5 cm (1.4 in) below eye level to account for the difference between ANSUR’s standardized posture and the more relaxed position people naturally adopt when sitting. Bodyspace supports this adjustment, allowing a reduction of up to 4 cm (1.6 in) for the natural “sitting slump”.

The final monitor height aligns center of the screen within the optimal 15° to 20° downward viewing angle at the recommended distance.

Monitor size to viewing distance

You must move farther back on taller monitors to maintain the same downward viewing angle.

Imagine a right triangle formed between your eye level, the center of the display, and the viewing distance. The “downward viewing angle” is the line between your eyes and the center of the screen.

The relationship is calculated using this formula:

General Distance Formula
Distance = Drop to Screen Center tan(Viewing Angle)

A taller monitor has its center farther below eye level.

For example, a 27-inch monitor is 13.2 inches tall. Divide that by two and you get a 6.6-inch drop if the top of the monitor is at eye height.

To achieve exactly a 15-degree angle to the center of the screen, the math looks like this:

Worked Distance Formula
Distance = 6.6 in tan(15°) ≈ 24.63 in (62.56 cm )

The calculator uses this same relationship to determine an optimal monitor viewing distance across the 15° to 20° range on both ends. Select your monitor size to get your recommended distance.

How Viewing Angle Affects Monitor Distance

A shallower viewing angle means sitting farther back. A steeper angle means sitting closer.

The table below shows how viewing distance changes for a 27-inch monitor with its top 3.5 cm (1.4 in) below eye level.

Viewing Angle

Recommended Distance

15°

75.8 cm (29.8 in)

16°

70.8 cm (27.9 in)

17°

66.4 cm (26.1 in)

18°

62.5 cm (24.6 in)

19°

59.0 cm (23.2 in)

20°

55.8 cm (22.0 in)

Gaze angle research cited by ANSI/HFES found that an angle of about -17° is the most preferred, comfortable, and best for performance. ANSI still recommends a practical range of 15° to 20° to accommodate individual preferences.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your chair height comes first. Set it so your hips sit slightly above your knees, with your feet flat on the floor or a footrest. The calculator can also use a custom chair height if you already know the height that works for you.

Then set your desk so your elbows are bent at roughly 90° to 110° while your shoulders remain relaxed. Sit in a natural working posture rather than rigidly upright.

Once those are dialed in, set your monitor height to 3.5 cm below eye level, and adjust further if needed.

Set your monitor height first, then fine-tune your viewing distance. Height determines where the center of the screen sits relative to your eyes, while distance determines the downward viewing angle.

Once the monitor is at the correct height, move your chair or monitor until you reach your recommended viewing distance.

When sitting in your relaxed working posture, look at the exact center of your screen. Adjust the tilt until the display surface looks completely flat and perpendicular. Reducing glare can also influence the adjustment.

A tilt of roughly 10° to 20° toward you is a useful starting range. This is different from the calculator’s 15° to 20° viewing angle, which refers to the position of the screen center below your eyes rather than the screen’s physical tilt.

For a more precise check, use the level or measurement app on your smartphone against the monitor’s side bezel, or a small angle-measuring tool.

All monitors should sit about an arm’s length from your body, at the same height (eye level or slightly lower if using corrective lenses). This follows guidance from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

If you split your time evenly between monitors:

  • Place them side by side with the inner edges close together.
  • Angle both toward you, forming a semi-circle.

If one monitor holds most of your attention:

  • Center it directly in front of you as if it were your only.
  • Place the secondary monitor to one side, angled toward you like half of a semi-circle. It can also sit slightly farther back, since you’re only glancing at it.

You can explore different layouts on this planning tool.

Even when you rotate a monitor 90 degrees, keep the top of the screen at or below your relaxed eye level.

It’s common to see vertical monitors set with the top edge well above eye level, especially when used as a secondary display, but ergonomically CCOHS is specific that this shouldn’t happen: the top of a tall or portrait monitor should never sit higher than your eyes, since going above that forces your head to tilt back, straining your neck and shoulders faster than a screen positioned low would.

Thank you for using this monitor height and viewing distance calculator! I hope it helps you build a setup that feels natural and sustainable. If you have questions or feedback, email me or leave a comment below.

Georgi

Founder of CreateComfy, sharing ideas to make home offices and desk setups comfier. I write about workspace tips, PC accessories, and interesting things.

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