How to Set Up Your Office Chair in Five Minutes
Most people never adjust their office chair after building it. Five minutes of setup makes a good chair feel much better. Work through it in this order, because each step affects the next.
1. Seat height
Sit back in the chair with your feet flat on the floor. Adjust the height until your thighs are roughly level and your knees are at about the same height as your hips.
If your desk is too high for this, raise the chair and use a footrest so your feet stay supported.
2. Seat depth
If your chair has seat depth adjustment, slide the seat so there's a gap of about two to four fingers between the front edge and the back of your knees. Too deep, and you'll perch forward. Too shallow, and your thighs lose support.
The FLEXISPOT ErgoX, for example, adjusts seat depth from 17 to 20 inches.
3. Lumbar support
Move the lumbar support so it sits in the curve of your lower back, usually around belt height. It should feel like gentle support, not a push.
4. Backrest and tilt
Set the backrest angle so you can sit back comfortably while you work. Adjust the tilt tension so the chair supports you when you lean back, without forcing you upright or letting you fall back.
If your chair has forward tilt, try it for focused typing.
5. Armrests
Lower or raise the armrests so your shoulders are relaxed and your elbows rest lightly, at about desk height. Move them in or out so your arms hang naturally at your sides. Chairs with more armrest movement, like the Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro with 5-way arms, make this easier.
6. Line up your desk and monitor
- Keyboard and mouse close enough that you don't reach forward.
- Monitor about an arm's length away, with the top of the screen around eye level.
- Laptop users: raise the laptop or use an external monitor and keyboard.
A monitor arm makes screen height easy to get right. See our monitor arm comparisons.
Keep moving
Even a perfect setup isn't meant to be held all day. Change position, stand up and walk around regularly. If you have pain or discomfort, talk to a doctor or physical therapist about your setup.
For five chairs compared on adjustability, see our office chair for long hours comparison.