Desk Height Chart

Sitting desk height by user height

5'0" (152cm): approximately 22.5 inches / 57cm.

5'4" (163cm): approximately 24 inches / 61cm.

5'8" (173cm): approximately 25.5 inches / 65cm.

6'0" (183cm): approximately 27 inches / 69cm.

6'4" (193cm): approximately 28.5 inches / 72cm.

Note how far these sit below the standard 29 inch desk: almost everyone shorter than about 6'4" is working at a desk that is too high, which forces shoulders up and wrists into extension.

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Standing desk height by user height

5'0" (152cm): approximately 36 inches / 91cm.

5'4" (163cm): approximately 38.5 inches / 98cm.

5'8" (173cm): approximately 41 inches / 104cm.

6'0" (183cm): approximately 43.5 inches / 110cm.

6'4" (193cm): approximately 46 inches / 117cm.

Check any sit-stand desk's stated height range against these numbers before buying: many budget models do not go low enough for shorter users or high enough for taller ones, which defeats the purpose entirely.

Fixing a desk that is the wrong height

If the desk is too high and cannot be adjusted, raise the chair until your elbows reach the correct angle, then add a footrest so your feet rest flat and your thighs stay parallel to the floor. This is the standard workaround and it works well.

If the desk is too low, risers under the legs are the cleanest fix. A keyboard tray mounted under a too-high desk is another option, though it often creates a knee-clearance problem in the process.

The rest of the setup follows from desk height

Monitor: top of the screen at or slightly below eye level, roughly an arm's length away, so your gaze falls slightly downward and your neck stays neutral.

Chair: feet flat, knees at roughly hip level, lumbar support meeting the curve of your lower back.

Keyboard and mouse: at the same height, close enough that your upper arms stay near vertical rather than reaching forward. A desk at the right height makes all three of these fall into place naturally, which is why height is the variable worth getting right first.

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