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How high to mount a TV: center height, bracket position and viewing angle

Find the right height to mount a TV on the wall from its screen size and your seated eye level, with the position of the bracket holes and the viewing angle.

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Results

Center of the screen from the floor

42.0

Bottom of the screen

28.5

Mounting holes (bracket) height

38.5

Top of the screen
55.5
Vertical angle from the eyes to the center
0.0 °
Comfortable viewing angle
Screen height (16:9)
27.0

Mount the screen at eye level

The most comfortable height for a television is with the center of the screen roughly at the eye level of a seated viewer. Looking up at a screen for a long film strains the neck, which is why TVs mounted high above a fireplace are often criticized. The calculator turns your screen size and seating position into the height of the bottom and top of the screen and of the mounting holes.

How it works

TVs are measured along the diagonal. For a 16:9 screen:

  • Screen height = diagonal × 9 ÷ √(16² + 9²) ≈ diagonal × 0.49
  • Center height = seated eye height + any intentional raise
  • Bottom of the screen = center − screen height ÷ 2
  • Top of the screen = center + screen height ÷ 2
  • Mounting holes = bottom of the screen + distance from the bottom edge to the bracket holes

The viewing angle is the angle between your eye line and the center of the screen, given your seating distance.

Example

A 55-inch TV, with eyes 42 inches above the floor when seated, 96 inches from the screen, and bracket holes 10 inches above the bottom of the TV:

  • Screen height: 55 × 0.49 = 27.0 inches
  • Bottom of the screen: 42 − 13.5 = 28.5 inches
  • Top of the screen: 55.5 inches
  • Mounting holes: 38.5 inches from the floor
  • Viewing angle: 0°, the ideal

Finding your eye height

Sit on your sofa in your usual position and measure from the floor to your eyes. On a typical sofa it is 38 to 44 inches. For a bedroom TV watched from bed, measure from the mattress level when propped up on pillows, which often means a higher mount.

Higher mounts

If the TV must go higher, for example over a fireplace or in a kitchen where people stand, keep the angle below about 15° and use a tilting mount that angles the screen down. Many LCD screens lose contrast and color when viewed from well above or below the center.

Before you drill

Check the VESA pattern of the TV and the bracket, find the studs with a stud finder, and confirm that the bracket and the wall are rated for the weight of the TV. Plan cable routing and an outlet behind the screen before the TV goes up.

Frequently asked questions

How high should a TV be mounted?

Ideally with the center of the screen at seated eye level, about 40 to 44 inches from the floor for most sofas. For a 55-inch TV, that puts the bottom of the screen about 28 inches high.

Is it OK to mount a TV above a fireplace?

It is usually too high for comfort: looking up more than about 15 degrees can strain the neck. A pull-down or tilting mount helps, and check that the heat at that height is within the TV's limits.

Where do the mounting holes go?

The VESA holes on the back of the TV are usually not centered vertically. Measure their height above the bottom of the TV, then add it to the height of the bottom of the screen.

How far should I sit from the TV?

For a 4K TV, about 1 to 1.5 times the screen diagonal gives an immersive view; for HD, about 1.5 to 2.5 times. The screen size calculator works it out.

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Results are estimates provided for information purposes. They do not replace professional advice.

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