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How far should your monitor be from your eyes? OSHA gives a preferred viewing distance of 20–40 inches (50–100 cm), CCOHS illustrates 15.7–29.1 inches (40–74 cm), and HSE uses the simpler rule of about an arm’s length. Those figures differ, so there is no honest reason to average them into one new “perfect” HubWin number.
How Far Should Your Monitor Be from Your Eyes? The Short Answer
For most setups, start inside the official range you are following and choose a distance that lets you read the screen without leaning forward or pushing the head backward. OSHA’s monitor page, checked October 7, 2026, prefers 20–40 inches (50–100 cm). HSE’s 2025 DSE page says about an arm’s length.
CCOHS is explicit that published recommendations differ. Its monitor-positioning figure shows 15.7–29.1 inches (40–74 cm), while the text says an arm’s length is usually a good estimate. CCOHS also says that if a recommended distance makes text hard to read, increasing font size is better than forcing a shorter distance.
How Far Should Your Monitor Be from Your Eyes According to OSHA?
OSHA says the preferred viewing distance is 20–40 inches (50–100 cm) from the eyes to the front surface of the screen. It also warns that a screen placed too far away can make you lean forward to read small text. A screen placed too close can make the eyes work harder to focus and can change body posture.
OSHA’s quick tip says to place the monitor at least 20 inches (50 cm) away. Its desk guidance then connects that distance to furniture depth: the work surface should provide enough room to place the monitor at least 20 inches (50 cm) from the eyes.
Why CCOHS Uses a Different Monitor Distance Range
CCOHS starts its page by saying viewing-distance guidelines can differ significantly. Its figure shows 15.7–29.1 inches (40–74 cm). Later, it gives arm’s length as a practical estimate and emphasizes adjustment for the person’s vision, screen and preferences.
Therefore, the CCOHS and OSHA numbers should be presented as source-specific guidance, not as a contradiction that needs to be “solved” by averaging. Different documents use different assumptions and reference points. Your setup still has to pass the same practical test: readable text without a compensating head or torso posture. A related ergonomics guide covers desk setup for glasses wearers.
| Source | Viewing-distance guidance | Important context |
|---|---|---|
| OSHA | 20–40 inches (50–100 cm) | Preferred range; increase text size if needed |
| HSE | About an arm’s length | Simple DSE setup rule |
| CCOHS | Figure shows 15.7–29.1 inches (40–74 cm) | Says guidelines differ; arm’s length is a practical estimate |
Signs the Monitor May Be Too Far Away
OSHA describes the clearest sign: you lean forward to see small text. That move takes your back away from the backrest and adds work for the torso. If this happens, first increase text or interface scaling. Then move the monitor only as much as needed while staying within a comfortable source-based range.
A wide display may also need more distance so you can view the screen without excessive neck rotation. CCOHS specifically notes that wide monitors can require a greater distance. Therefore, bigger screens do not automatically belong at the same location as a small laptop-sized display. Therefore, how far should your monitor be from your eyes can change with display width as well as text size. A dedicated setup guide covers monitor light.
Signs the Monitor May Be Too Close
If the screen is so close that you push the chair backward, tip the head or type with outstretched arms, the monitor position is interfering with the rest of the workstation. OSHA describes these types of compensations when viewing distance is too short. A dedicated setup guide covers ultrawide monitor.
However, eye comfort is individual. CCOHS says the right viewing distance is the one at which the operator can read easily without eye strain. If vision problems make normal screen use difficult, an eye-care professional can evaluate your needs rather than relying on a desk-distance rule alone. The question how far should your monitor be from your eyes is therefore answered by both source ranges and readable, supported use.
Adjust Text Size Before You Sacrifice Posture
CCOHS directly recommends increasing font or image size when the recommended viewing distance makes the content hard to see. OSHA likewise notes that smaller monitors may require larger text. Therefore, display scaling is part of ergonomics, not merely a software preference.
In practice, the best sequence is simple: choose a comfortable posture, set the screen inside a source-based distance range, enlarge text until it is readable, then fine-tune the distance. Do not make your neck and torso solve a font-size problem.
Desk Depth Can Limit Monitor Distance
OSHA’s desk page says the work surface should allow at least 20 inches (50 cm) of viewing distance. If a shallow desk cannot provide that depth, OSHA suggests creating more space or changing the workstation arrangement. The point is to make the furniture support the viewing distance instead of forcing the body closer.
Monitor height still matters at the same time. Our office ergonomics guidelines compare both height and distance recommendations. Our correct sitting posture guide shows how to establish the chair and body position before moving the screen. A related ergonomics guide covers dual monitor.
A Fast Monitor-Distance Check
- Start around arm’s length. This matches HSE and CCOHS’s practical rule and often lands inside an official numeric range.
- Check the source range. OSHA prefers 20–40 inches (50–100 cm); CCOHS illustrates 15.7–29.1 inches (40–74 cm).
- Make text readable. Increase font or interface size before leaning toward the screen.
- Watch your torso. If the back leaves the chair just to read, the distance or text size needs work.
- Watch your arms. Do not push the chair too far back from a close screen that you must reach for the keyboard.
Related: If that is the part of the setup you are working on next, continue with our computer eye-strain guide.
How We Research
HubWin uses a research model and does not diagnose vision problems or test displays. The HubWin Team read OSHA’s monitor guidance and desk page, checked October 7, 2026; HSE’s DSE posture guidance dated March 20, 2025; and CCOHS’s monitor-positioning fact sheet, last revised November 29, 2022 and confirmed current July 21, 2025. See About HubWin for our method.
FAQ
OSHA prefers 20–40 inches (50–100 cm), HSE says about an arm’s length, and CCOHS illustrates 15.7–29.1 inches (40–74 cm) while also using arm’s length as a practical estimate.
Yes as a starting point. HSE uses about an arm’s length, and CCOHS calls arm’s length a practical estimate that should be adjusted for the user and display. A related how-to guide covers webcam angle.
OSHA’s quick guidance uses at least 20 inches (50 cm), and its preferred range starts at 20 inches (50 cm). Individual vision and screen size still matter.
It can be. CCOHS notes that wide monitors may need more distance to reduce neck rotation across the screen.
Not automatically. CCOHS recommends increasing font or image size rather than forcing a shorter viewing distance when possible.
Bottom Line
How far should your monitor be from your eyes? Use a source-specific starting point, not a made-up universal number. OSHA prefers 20–40 inches (50–100 cm), CCOHS illustrates 15.7–29.1 inches (40–74 cm), and HSE says about arm’s length. Then adjust text size and distance until you can read clearly without leaning or pushing the rest of the workstation out of position. If that is the adjustment you are working on, see monitor arm vs monitor stand.