The rule: top edge at eye level
Your eyes naturally rest slightly downward. With the top of the screen at eye level, your gaze lands about a third of the way down the screen and your neck stays neutral. If you wear progressive lenses, go a little lower, because you read through the bottom of the lens.
Monitor height by your height (seated)
Seated eye height is roughly 42% of your height above the seat. With an 18-inch chair and a 29-inch desk, the top of your screen should sit about: 16″ above the desk at 5′4″, 17″ at 5′7″, 18½″ at 5′10″, 19″ at 6′0″, and 20″ at 6′2″.
Most monitor stands only lift the bottom of the screen 4–5 inches off the desk, which is often too low for taller people and too high for shorter people with a big screen. That is the main reason to use a monitor arm.
Standing desk monitor height
At a standing desk set to elbow height, your eyes are about 30% of your height above the desk surface — roughly 21 inches for someone 5′10″. That is higher than when sitting, so a monitor that is right when you sit is too low when you stand. An arm with gas-spring height adjustment lets you move it in one motion when you switch.
Updated November 12, 2026 · Dimensions calculated from each screen's diagonal and aspect ratio.