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Figuring out the right height for your desk
One of the most common questions people have when it comes to standing desks is what height should they set it at to get the maximum health benefits. This will obviously depend on each person's height but other factors also come into play such as shoes, clothes and desk setup.
The table below provides a quick reference guide for recommended sitting and standing height based on a person's height although its important to explain the reasoning behind these numbers so you can customise them for your specific use.
When either sitting or standing, the desktop should be level with your elbows while your arms are relaxed at your side so that your elbows can stay around a 90 degree angle. The graphic below demonstrates this posture for both sitting and standing using someone who is xxx height as an example.
All of our standing desks come with free memory controllers so we recommend saving an ideal sitting and standing height for yourself. To find these optimal heights, the following steps can be taken.
Getting the right height
Sitting height:
- Start in a seated position with your feet flat on the floor or footrest with thighs parallel to the floor
- Keep your wrists straight with hands at elbow level and back straight while hips are far back into the chair
- Save this as your seating position
Standing height:
- Stand up straight with chest up, shoulders back, a straight back, and neutral pelvis so that your head is parallel with the ceiling
- Bend your elbows at 90 degrees (or slightly lower if that feels more comfortable, but not higher) while keeping arms relaxed by your sides
- Raise the desk so that the keyboard reaches your hands in this position and save this as your standing height using the memory controller
Height quick reference
The follow table provides a quick guide to suggested sitting and standing desk heights covering the most typical height ranges. However, it does not cover all heights which we why we recommend following the steps above to find the ideal height for your desk.
Bear in mind that you'll need to factor in the height of things such as shoes, heels or standing mats.
| Your Height (Feet and Inches) | Your Height (cm) | Seated Desk Height (Inches) | Seated Desk Height (cm) | Standing Desk Height (Inches) | Standing Desk Height (cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 152.5 | 22 | 63* | 31 | 79 |
| 5’ 1" | 155 | 23.5 | 63* | 32 | 81.5 |
| 5’ 2” | 157.5 | 24 | 63* | 33 | 84 |
| 5’ 3” | 160 | 24.5 | 64 | 34 | 86.5 |
| 5’ 4” | 162.5 | 25 | 65 | 35 | 89 |
| 5’ 5” | 165 | 25.5 | 66 | 36 | 91.5 |
| 5’ 6” | 167.5 | 26 | 67 | 37 | 94 |
| 5’ 7” | 170 | >26.5 | 68 | 38 | 96.5 |
| 5’ 8” | 172.5 | 27 | 69 | 39 | 99 |
| 5’ 9” | 175 | 27.5 | 70 | 40 | 101.5 |
| 5’ 10” | 177.5 | 28 | 71 | 41 | 104 |
| 5’ 11” | 180 | 28.5 | 72 | 42 | 106.5 |
| 6’ | 182.5 | 29 | 73 | 43 | 109 |
| 6’ 1” | 185 | 29 | 74 | 44 | 111.5 |
| 6’ 2” | 187.5 | 29.5 | 75 | 45 | 114 |
| 6’ 3” | 190 | 30 | 76 | 46 | 117 |
| 6’ 4” | 192.5 | 30.5 | 77 | 47 | 119 |
| 6’ 5” | 195 | 31 | 78 | 48 | 122 |
| 6’ 6” | 197.5 | 31 | 79 | 49 | 124.5 |
Please be aware that our desks have different maximum and minimum height ranges so this should be one of the key factors taken into consideration when picking a desk. Have a look at our desk comparison page to quickly compare a few of our most popular desks or head straight to our height adjustable desk collection to see the full range.