Desk Height Calculator
Get the right sitting or standing desk height for your stature, keeping your elbows near 90° and your shoulders relaxed.
Your ideal desk height
This sets the work surface (or keyboard tray) so your elbows rest near 90° with your shoulders relaxed — seated desks track roughly 0.42× your height, standing desks roughly 0.60×. Fine-tune from here once your chair and monitor are in place.
Why desk height should follow your elbows, not a standard
A work surface set to a "standard" 73–75 cm fits an average-height adult reasonably well, but if you're shorter or taller than average it puts your wrists and shoulders in a compromised position for hours a day. The better target is your own elbow height — seated or standing — so your forearms stay roughly level with the keyboard and your shoulders don't have to shrug up or slump down to reach it.
If you split time between sitting and standing, dial in both numbers once and keep them as saved presets, so switching postures through the day is a single button press rather than a fresh adjustment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is ideal desk height calculated?
Seated desk height tracks your seated elbow height, roughly 0.42 times your total height. Standing desk height tracks your standing elbow height, roughly 0.60 times your total height. For a 170 cm person that's about 71 cm seated or 102 cm standing.
Why is standing desk height so much higher than seated?
When you stand, your hips and knees straighten and your whole body lengthens, so your elbow sits much higher off the floor than it does when seated with knees bent at 90°. The desk (or keyboard tray) needs to rise with it to keep your arms in the same relaxed, neutral position.
What's the target elbow angle?
Aim for roughly 90–110° at the elbow with your shoulders relaxed and your upper arms hanging naturally at your sides, whether you're typing seated or standing. That keeps the load off your shoulders and wrists during long stretches at the keyboard.
Do I need a different height for my keyboard versus my monitor?
Often, yes. This calculator targets keyboard/work-surface height for elbow comfort. Your monitor is usually set independently — check our monitor distance calculator for viewing distance and screen height guidance.
I use a sit-stand desk — do I need to re-measure every time I switch?
No. Once you know your seated and standing numbers, set those as saved presets on an electric sit-stand desk (most support memory settings) so you can switch between them with one button instead of guessing each time.
Educational estimate — not medical, physiotherapy, or occupational-health advice; consult a clinician or ergonomist for pain or medical needs.