Standing Desk Height Guide: How High Should It Be?
A standing desk is only useful if it reaches the right height for you, both sitting and standing. Here's how to find your numbers and check them against a desk before you buy.
Find your standing height
- Stand up straight in the shoes you usually wear at home.
- Let your arms hang, then bend your elbows to about 90 degrees, with your forearms level.
- Measure from the floor to the underside of your forearms. That's roughly where your keyboard should be.
- Subtract the thickness of your keyboard, about an inch, to get a rough desk height.
Find your sitting height
Do the same while sitting in your chair, with the seat set so your feet are flat and your thighs roughly level. Measure from the floor to your forearms.
Check the desk's range
Compare both numbers to the desk's listed height range:
- Your standing height must be below the desk's maximum.
- Your sitting height must be above the desk's minimum.
Desks with 3-stage legs usually have a wider range. The FlexiSpot E6 Bamboo lists 23.6 to 49.2 inches, which suits a wide range of users. Many 2-stage desks top out lower, which can be too short for tall people.
Don't forget the monitor
Raising the desk raises the monitor too, so it should stay in the right place in both positions:
- The top of the screen around eye level.
- About an arm's length away.
A monitor arm makes fine-tuning easy. See our monitor arm comparisons.
Save your presets
Once you've found your two heights, save them as memory presets. Most electric desks have at least two, and the UPLIFT V3 keypad stores four. Then switching takes one button.
Mix it up
Most people find it comfortable to alternate between sitting and standing through the day rather than standing for hours. A cushioned anti-fatigue mat helps when standing. If you have health concerns, ask a doctor or physical therapist.
For five standing desks compared, see our standing desk for home office comparison.