What is the recommended eye-to-screen distance in cm?

50–100 cm (OSHA and ANSI/HFES 100). Most people land between 55 and 75 cm; HFES notes that most users, given the choice, prefer 75–83 cm. Our calculator recommends 64 cm for 24–32-inch screens and more for ultrawides — 69 cm for a 34-inch and 86–100 cm for a 49-inch.

When reading from your DSE, a typical good distance from your eyes to the screen is between?

50–100 cm. DSE stands for display screen equipment. UK HSE guidance says “about an arm’s length away” (HSE Ireland: about 50–75 cm), and OSHA’s range is 50–100 cm (20–40 inches). 25–30 cm is far too close for a computer screen.

A computer monitor should be set approximately how many inches away from the eyes?

20–40 inches is the OSHA answer (the best choice if the options are 1–3, 5–10, 20–40 or 50–80 inches). If the options are 6–12, 12–18, 20–30 or 31–38 inches, choose 20–30 inches. If asked whether the distance should be greater or less than 40 cm, the answer is greater than 40 cm — ANSI/HFES 100 sets 40 cm as the absolute minimum design distance and OSHA says at least 50 cm.

How far should I sit from a 24-inch monitor?

About 64 cm (25 in). A 24-inch 1080p screen is 53 cm wide, so its edges are well within view, and default 16 px text stays legible out to 67 cm (26 in). With a 24-inch QHD panel at 100% scaling text gets small; use 125–150% scaling to keep the same distance.

How far should a 27-inch monitor be from your eyes?

About 64 cm (25 in) for a 27-inch QHD (1440p) monitor at 125% scaling, with a comfortable range of 50–70 cm. At 100% scaling, text limits you to about 56 cm (22 in) unless you zoom in. A 27-inch 4K at 150% gives 56 cm (22 in).

How far should I be from a 32-inch 4K monitor?

About 64 cm (25 in) at 150% scaling, and no closer than 51 cm (20 in). A 32-inch screen is 71 cm wide; at 4K and 100% scaling text is too small to read at that distance, so use 150% (or 175–200% for relaxed reading) rather than pulling the screen in.

How far away should a 34-inch or larger ultrawide be?

A 34-inch 3440 × 1440 ultrawide is about 80 cm wide, so sit about 69 cm (27 in) to keep both edges within 30° of center. A 38-inch ultrawide needs about 77 cm (30 in) and a 49-inch super ultrawide 86–100 cm — even then you will turn your head for the edges.

How far should a 43-inch monitor or TV used as a monitor be?

About 82 cm (32 in) for a 43-inch 4K screen at 150% scaling, which needs a deep desk (around 82 cm with a stand) or a wall mount. At 2 m it works as a TV but not for reading documents.

How far should a laptop be from your eyes?

Aim for at least 50 cm (20 in). The AOA says at least 13–20 inches for a small laptop and more than 20 inches for a full-size laptop. Because the keyboard is attached, most people sit closer; a laptop stand with an external keyboard lets you push a 15.6-inch screen back to 54 cm (21 in) at 125% scaling.

What is the minimum safe distance from a computer screen?

OSHA says at least 20 inches (50 cm). ANSI/HFES 100 treats 40 cm (16 in) as the absolute minimum display design distance, mainly for low-vision users. Closer than that, your eyes have to focus and converge hard, and most people over 40 cannot focus at 40 cm without reading glasses.

Am I too close to my monitor?

Probably, if you sit closer than 50 cm (20 in), lean forward to read, or get tired eyes by the afternoon. For example, a 24-inch screen at 18 inches scores “Mostly fine — small tweaks” in our setup check: it is below OSHA’s minimum and well inside the eyes’ ~67 cm resting focus. Use the “Check my setup” tab with your real distance.

Is an arm’s length the right monitor distance?

It is a good starting point. Sit back, stretch your arm out: your fingertips should just touch the screen. Average adult arm length puts that at roughly 60–75 cm (24–30 in), right in the middle of every guideline. Then adjust: farther for large or ultrawide screens, and increase text size rather than moving closer if you have to squint.

How do I measure eye-to-screen distance?

Sit upright with your back against the chair. Measure from the bridge of your nose (or the outer corner of the eye) to the center of the screen with a tape measure, or have someone measure while you hold your working posture. Measure to the screen, not to the desk edge or monitor stand.

Does a bigger monitor need more distance?

Yes, once the screen gets wide. Keeping both edges within about 30° of your line of sight takes 52 cm (20 in) for a 27-inch 16:9 screen but 69 cm (27 in) for a 34-inch ultrawide. OSHA says monitors should not be farther than 35° left or right. For 24–32-inch screens, the 64 cm target already covers this.

What size monitor should I get if I sit 2 feet (61 cm) away?

At 61 cm the widest comfortable 16:9 screen is about 32 inches diagonal, so a 27-inch is the sweet spot (27" 4K is the largest that fits comfortably). At 70 cm you can go to 32" 4K or a 34" ultrawide; at 80 cm, 32" 4K or a 38" ultrawide.

My desk is only 58–60 cm deep. What monitor size should I choose?

On a stand, a 60 cm desk gives roughly 60 cm of viewing distance (your eyes sit about 15 cm behind the front edge and the screen about 15 cm in from the back). That suits a 24–27-inch screen; at 58 cm the largest comfortable 16:9 size is about 30 inches. A monitor arm adds about 10 cm.

How deep should a desk be for a 32-inch monitor?

About 64 cm (25 in) with the standard stand, or about 54 cm with a monitor arm that pushes the screen to the back edge. A 72–80 cm desk is comfortable for a 32-inch and works for a 34-inch ultrawide.

How high should the monitor be?

Top of the screen at or slightly below eye level, with the center of the screen 15–20° below horizontal eye level (OSHA, AOA). At 64 cm (25 in) that puts the screen center about 17–23 cm below your eyes. Bifocal or progressive wearers often need it lower.

What text size should I use at the recommended distance?

ANSI/HFES 100 says characters should subtend at least 16 arc minutes, and 20–22 for comfortable reading. At 64 cm that means capital letters about 3.0 mm tall (legible) to 3.7 mm (comfortable). On a 24-inch 1080p screen, 16 px text at 100% is just legible; 125% is comfortable.

Should I sit farther from a 4K monitor?

Not necessarily farther — but you must scale text up. At 100% scaling a 27-inch 4K screen renders 16 px text with capital letters under 2 mm tall, legible only within about 38 cm. At 150% scaling you can sit 56 cm away, and at 175% the full 64 cm. Sharper pixels make text crisper, not larger.

Does sitting too close to a screen damage your eyes?

Not permanently in adults, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. It causes digital eye strain — tired, dry or blurry eyes and headaches — because your eyes focus and converge harder and you blink less. In children, prolonged close-up screen use is linked with faster myopia progression.

What is the 20-20-20 rule?

Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet (6 m) away for 20 seconds. The AOA recommends it to relax the focusing muscles, plus a 15-minute break after 2 hours of continuous screen use.

How far apart should dual or triple monitors be?

Keep every screen at the same distance so your eyes do not refocus. If you use one screen most, put it directly in front of you and angle the second toward you beside it. If you use both equally, put the seam in front of your nose and angle both inward. Keep the outer edges within OSHA’s 35° limit, which usually means sitting a little farther back.

How does this monitor distance calculator work?

It works out the screen’s physical width and pixel density from the size and resolution. The closest distance is 50 cm, or farther if a screen edge would sit more than 35° off center. The target is 64 cm (the AAO’s 25 inches), moved back for wide screens so the edges stay within 30°. It then checks that your text (font size × scaling × 0.7 cap height × pixel pitch) is still at least 16 arc minutes tall at that distance, and if not, tells you the scaling to use.

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Q: How far should your monitor be from your eyes?

20 to 40 inches (50–100 cm), according to OSHA — about an arm’s length. The American Optometric Association narrows it to 20–28 inches and the American Academy of Ophthalmology says about 25 inches (64 cm). For a 24- or 27-inch monitor, start at 64 cm (25 in) and adjust until you can read all text without leaning forward.

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Workstation ergonomics · OSHA, AOA & ANSI/HFES 100 · updated October 2, 2026

Monitor Distance Calculator: How Far Should Your Monitor Be From Your Eyes?

Quick answer

Your monitor should be 20–40 inches (50–100 cm) from your eyes — about an arm’s length (OSHA). Optometrists recommend 20–28 inches and the American Academy of Ophthalmology about 25 inches (64 cm). That suits 24-, 27- and 32-inch monitors if text is scaled to read comfortably; a 34-inch ultrawide needs about 69 cm (27 in) and a 49-inch super ultrawide 86–100 cm. Keep the top of the screen at or just below eye level and never sit closer than 50 cm (20 in).

Enter your screen size, resolution and scaling to get your ideal eye-to-screen distance in cm and inches, the closest and farthest you should sit, how high to put the screen and whether it fits your desk. Or find the biggest monitor for the distance you have, or check your current setup against the guidelines.

Distance for any size, resolution and scaling
Ultrawide and 4K aware (edge angle and text size)
Best monitor size for your desk depth
Setup check against OSHA, AOA and HFES

Last updated October 2, 2026. Free, no sign-up. Guides: how far should your monitor be · 27-inch viewing distance

Monitor Distance Calculator

How far your monitor should be from your eyes, the best monitor size for your desk, or a check of your current setup.

Screen size(diagonal, inches)

Resolution

Display scaling (Windows) or zoom

Text size you read most

16 px is the browser default; app menus are often 12–14 px.

Desk depth (optional)(cm)

Monitor mount

Show results in:

Sit this far from the screen

64 cm

25.0 in · eyes to screen center

Comfortable range

50 cm–70 cm

Closest to farthest readable

Text size at that distance

17.7′

16′ legible · 20′+ comfortable

Screen center below eyes

17 cm–23 cm

15–20° downward gaze

Top edge

0 cm below

eye level at 15° center

Screen size

60 cm × 34 cm

109 PPI

Horizontal view

50°

60° keeps edges in easy view

For relaxed reading (20 arc minutes) at 64 cm, use 150% scaling or browser zoom.

Based on OSHA (50–100 cm), the AAO’s 25-inch arm’s-length target and ANSI/HFES 100 text-size rules. Measure from the bridge of your nose to the center of the screen.

How the ideal monitor distance is calculated

Eye-to-screen distance (viewing distance) is the straight-line distance from the bridge of your nose to the center of the screen while you sit upright against the backrest. OSHA puts the preferred range at 20–40 inches (50–100 cm); the American Optometric Association recommends 20–28 inches and the American Academy of Ophthalmology about 25 inches — roughly an arm’s length.

The calculator combines three limits:

Closest: 50 cm (OSHA), or farther if a screen edge would be more than 35° to the side — OSHA’s limit for head turning.
Target: 64 cm (the AAO’s 25 inches), pushed back for wide screens so both edges stay within 30° of your line of sight, and never beyond 100 cm.
Farthest readable: the distance where your text shrinks to 16 arc minutes, the ANSI/HFES 100 legibility minimum. If that is closer than the target, the calculator tells you the scaling that lets you sit at the target instead.

width = diagonal × W ÷ √(W² + H²) · closest = max(50, width ÷ 2 ÷ tan 35°) · target = max(63.5, width ÷ 2 ÷ tan 30°) · text height = px × scaling × 0.7 × pixel pitch · farthest = text height ÷ tan(16′)

Example — 27-inch 2560 × 1440 at 125%: the screen is 59.8 cm wide at 109 PPI (pixel pitch 0.233 mm). Closest is 50 cm; the edges stay within 30° from 52 cm, so the target stays at 64 cm. 16 px text at 125% is 3.27 mm tall, legible to 70 cm. Result: sit 64 cm (25 in) away, comfortable range 50–70 cm, with the screen center 17–23 cm below eye level.

Monitor distance by screen size

Recommended eye-to-screen distance for common monitors, and the display scaling you need for 16 px text to be legible (16′) and comfortable (20′) at that distance.

Monitor	PPI	Closest	Recommended	Scaling: legible / comfortable
14" laptop, 1920 × 1200	162	50 cm (20 in)	64 cm (25 in)	175% / 225%
15.6" laptop, 1920 × 1080	141	50 cm (20 in)	64 cm (25 in)	150% / 200%
21.5" Full HD	102	50 cm (20 in)	64 cm (25 in)	125% / 150%
24" Full HD	92	50 cm (20 in)	64 cm (25 in)	100% / 125%
24" QHD	122	50 cm (20 in)	64 cm (25 in)	150% / 175%
27" Full HD	82	50 cm (20 in)	64 cm (25 in)	100% / 125%
27" QHD	109	50 cm (20 in)	64 cm (25 in)	125% / 150%
27" 4K	163	50 cm (20 in)	64 cm (25 in)	175% / 225%
32" QHD	92	51 cm (20 in)	64 cm (25 in)	100% / 125%
32" 4K	138	51 cm (20 in)	64 cm (25 in)	150% / 200%
34" ultrawide	110	57 cm (22 in)	69 cm (27 in)	125% / 175%
38" ultrawide	109	64 cm (25 in)	77 cm (30 in)	150% / 175%
43" 4K	102	68 cm (27 in)	82 cm (32 in)	150% / 175%
49" super ultrawide	109	86 cm (34 in)	100 cm (39 in)	200% / 225%

What the guidelines say

Organization	Viewing distance	Also says
OSHA (U.S.)	20–40 in (50–100 cm); at least 20 in	Read all text with head and torso upright and back supported
American Optometric Association	20–28 in (50–71 cm)	Screen center 15–20° (about 4–5 in) below eye level
American Academy of Ophthalmology	About 25 in (64 cm), arm’s length	Gaze slightly downward
ANSI/HFES 100-2007	Workstation must allow ≥ 50 cm; most users prefer 75–83 cm	Text at least 16 arc minutes tall, 20–22 preferred
CCOHS (Canada)	About an arm’s length	Eyes’ resting focus ≈ 80 cm, resting convergence ≈ 112 cm (90 cm looking down)
HSE (UK) / HSE Ireland	Arm’s length — about 50–75 cm	Top of screen level with the eyes

The ranges agree: nobody recommends closer than 50 cm (20 in) for a desktop monitor, and the eyes are most relaxed farther out — the average resting focus is about 67–80 cm. Farther is easier on your eyes as long as you can still read without leaning in.

Biggest monitor for your viewing distance

Largest diagonal whose edges stay within 30° of center.

Distance	16:9	21:9	32:9	Good picks
50 cm (20 in)	26"	25"	24"	24" QHD
60 cm (24 in)	31"	30"	28"	27" 4K
70 cm (28 in)	37"	34"	33"	32" 4K or 34" ultrawide
80 cm (31 in)	42"	39"	38"	32" 4K or 38" ultrawide
90 cm (35 in)	47"	44"	43"	43" 4K or 38" ultrawide
100 cm (39 in)	52"	49"	47"	43" 4K or 38" ultrawide

How far you can sit and still read

Farthest distance where 16 px text stays legible (16 arc minutes) at each scaling level.

Monitor	100%	125%	150%	200%
21.5" Full HD	60 cm (23 in)	75 cm (29 in)	89 cm (35 in)	119 cm (47 in)
24" Full HD	67 cm (26 in)	83 cm (33 in)	100 cm (39 in)	133 cm (52 in)
24" QHD	50 cm (20 in)	62 cm (25 in)	75 cm (29 in)	100 cm (39 in)
27" Full HD	75 cm (29 in)	94 cm (37 in)	112 cm (44 in)	150 cm (59 in)
27" QHD	56 cm (22 in)	70 cm (28 in)	84 cm (33 in)	112 cm (44 in)
27" 4K	37 cm (15 in)	47 cm (18 in)	56 cm (22 in)	75 cm (29 in)
32" QHD	67 cm (26 in)	83 cm (33 in)	100 cm (39 in)	133 cm (52 in)
32" 4K	44 cm (17 in)	55 cm (22 in)	67 cm (26 in)	89 cm (35 in)
34" ultrawide	56 cm (22 in)	70 cm (27 in)	84 cm (33 in)	111 cm (44 in)
38" ultrawide	56 cm (22 in)	70 cm (27 in)	84 cm (33 in)	112 cm (44 in)
43" 4K	60 cm (23 in)	75 cm (29 in)	89 cm (35 in)	119 cm (47 in)
49" super ultrawide	56 cm (22 in)	70 cm (28 in)	84 cm (33 in)	113 cm (44 in)

Desk depth you need

Assumes your eyes are about 15 cm behind the desk’s front edge and the screen sits 15 cm in from the back on a stand or 5 cm on an arm.

Monitor	Recommended distance	Desk depth (stand)	Desk depth (arm)
24" Full HD	64 cm (25 in)	64 cm (25 in)	54 cm (21 in)
27" QHD	64 cm (25 in)	64 cm (25 in)	54 cm (21 in)
32" 4K	64 cm (25 in)	64 cm (25 in)	54 cm (21 in)
34" ultrawide	69 cm (27 in)	69 cm (27 in)	59 cm (23 in)
38" ultrawide	77 cm (30 in)	77 cm (30 in)	67 cm (26 in)
43" 4K	82 cm (32 in)	82 cm (32 in)	72 cm (29 in)
49" super ultrawide	100 cm (39 in)	100 cm (39 in)	90 cm (35 in)

How high to put the screen

Screen center below horizontal eye level for a 15–20° downward gaze (OSHA, AOA). The top edge should be at or slightly below your eyes.

Viewing distance	Center drop at 15°	Center drop at 20°
50 cm (20 in)	13 cm (5 in)	18 cm (7 in)
60 cm (24 in)	16 cm (6 in)	22 cm (9 in)
64 cm (25 in)	17 cm (7 in)	23 cm (9 in)
70 cm (28 in)	19 cm (7 in)	25 cm (10 in)
80 cm (31 in)	21 cm (8 in)	29 cm (11 in)
90 cm (35 in)	24 cm (9 in)	33 cm (13 in)

Screen distance by device

Device	Distance	Source
Smartphone	More than 12 in (30 cm); Apple’s Screen Distance warns closer than that	AAO
Small tablet or laptop	At least 13–20 in (33–50 cm)	AOA
Full-size laptop or monitor	More than 20 in (50 cm)	AOA
Desktop monitor	20–28 in (50–71 cm)	AOA
Desktop monitor	About 25 in (64 cm), arm’s length	AAO
Desktop monitor	20–40 in (50–100 cm)	OSHA
Display screen equipment (DSE)	Arm’s length, about 50–75 cm	HSE / HSE Ireland

Training-quiz answers

Question	Answer
When reading from your DSE, a typical good distance from eyes to screen is between…	50–100 cm
A computer monitor should be set approximately how many inches from the eyes?	20–40 inches
Monitor distance: 6–12″, 12–18″, 20–30″ or 31–38″?	20–30 inches
Distance between screen and eyes should be greater or less than 40 cm?	Greater than 40 cm
Where should the top of the monitor be?	At or slightly below eye level
What is the 20-20-20 rule?	Every 20 min, look 20 ft away for 20 s

Zoom, don’t lean

If you lean forward to read, the screen is too far for your text size. Raise scaling or browser zoom (Ctrl/Cmd +) instead of pulling the monitor closer.

Measure to the screen

Measure from the bridge of your nose to the screen center while sitting back in your chair — not to the desk edge or the monitor stand.

Give your eyes a break

Follow 20-20-20, blink fully, and keep the screen slightly below eye level so less of your eye surface is exposed and dries out.

Sources and how this calculator was checked

Distance ranges come from OSHA, the AOA, the AAO, CCOHS and HSE; text-size and viewing-envelope rules from ANSI/HFES 100-2007. The 30° comfort angle for screen edges is our design choice inside OSHA’s 35° limit, and the 0.7 cap-height ratio matches common interface fonts. Every table on this page is generated by the same code as the calculator. This is ergonomic guidance, not medical advice — see an optometrist for persistent eye strain or headaches.

OSHA eTools — Computer Workstations: MonitorsPreferred viewing distance 20–40 in (50–100 cm); at least 20 in; top of screen at or below eye level; center 15–20° below; not more than 35° left or right.
OSHA eTools — Workstation Components: DesksWork surface depth should allow a viewing distance of at least 20 inches (50 cm).
American Optometric Association — Computer vision syndrome20–28 inches from the eyes; screen center 15–20° (about 4–5 in) below eye level; 20-20-20 rule.
AOA — Eye health guidance for screen time (PDF)At least 13–20 in for phones, small tablets and laptops; more than 20 in for full-size laptops and monitors.
American Academy of Ophthalmology — Computers, digital devices and eye strainSit about 25 inches (arm’s length) from the screen; computer glasses focus at 20–26 inches.
AAO — Apple “Screen Distance” featureWarns when a phone or iPad is held closer than 12 inches for too long.
ANSI/HFES 100-2007 — Human Factors Engineering of Computer WorkstationsCharacters ≥ 16 arc minutes (20–22 preferred); minimum design distance 40 cm; workstations must allow ≥ 50 cm; most users prefer 75–83 cm; resting focus ≈ 67 cm.
CCOHS — Office ergonomics: Positioning the monitorArm’s length; resting point of accommodation ≈ 80 cm, of vergence ≈ 112 cm (90 cm looking 30° down); enlarge text rather than sit closer.
HSE (UK) — Good posture when using display screen equipmentTop of screen level with eyes, about an arm’s length away.
HSE Ireland — Display screen equipment and office safetyKeep the screen at arm’s length — about 50–75 cm away.

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