Standing Desk Height Chart for Every Body Type

Use the numbers below as a starting reference, then fine-tune with the elbow test (covered in our full height guide) once your desk is actually set up in your workspace — a chart can get you close, but it can't account for your individual torso-to-leg ratio.

Quick answer: most adults 165–185cm tall land in a standing height of roughly 99–111cm and a sitting height of roughly 71–77cm, but always confirm with the elbow test rather than relying on height alone.

Standing height by user height

150–160cm: approximately 93–99cm standing height. 160–170cm: approximately 99–105cm. 170–180cm: approximately 105–111cm. 180–190cm: approximately 111–117cm. 190–200cm: approximately 117–123cm. These ranges overlap deliberately, since two people of the same height can have meaningfully different arm lengths.

Sitting height by user height

150–160cm: approximately 68–71cm. 160–170cm: approximately 71–74cm. 170–180cm: approximately 74–77cm. 180–190cm: approximately 77–80cm. 190–200cm: approximately 80–83cm. Compare these against a desk's stated minimum height before buying — this is the number budget desks most often fall short on.

Why the full range matters more than either end alone

Check both ends of a desk's height range before buying, not just the maximum standing height that gets top billing in marketing copy. Taller users need the desk to reach high enough standing; shorter users need it to go low enough sitting — a desk that only satisfies one end of that range isn't a genuine sit-stand desk for you, whatever the listing claims.

Chairs and footwear change the numbers

These figures assume standard office shoes and a normal chair height. If you sit unusually low or high relative to a typical chair, or often work barefoot on a standing mat, adjust the numbers accordingly and re-check with the elbow test — the chart is a starting point, not a substitute for testing your own setup.

Using this chart with a desk's spec sheet

When comparing desks against this chart, check the manufacturer's listed height range (usually given as a minimum-to-maximum figure) rather than a single 'ideal height' claim — see our compare table for the exact ranges on our shortlisted desks side by side.