How High Should You Mount a TV?
A simple rule for TV mounting height, with worked examples for 55, 65, 75, and 85 inch screens, plus what changes in bedrooms and above a fireplace.
Aim to get the centre of the screen close to your eye level when you are seated, which for most sofas is around 40 to 45 inches from the floor. On a 65 inch TV that usually puts the bottom edge roughly 25 inches up. The bigger the screen, the lower the bottom edge sits, which surprises most people.
The rule, in one line
Centre of the screen at seated eye level. Everything else is an adjustment to that.
Notice it is the centre, not the bottom and not the top. People mount from the bottom edge because that is what they can measure against the furniture, and that is exactly how TVs end up too high.
Find your own eye level first
Do not use an average. Sit on the sofa you actually watch from, in your normal position, and have someone measure from the floor to your eyes.
Most people land between 38 and 45 inches. A low modern sofa can be under 38. An upright dining chair can be over 48. Your number is the one that matters.
Worked examples
These assume a seated eye level of 42 inches, which is a typical sofa. Adjust up or down by the difference if yours is different. Screen heights are approximate, because bezels vary between models.
| TV size | Approx screen height | Centre at | Bottom edge roughly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 inch | 27 in | 42 in | 28 in from the floor |
| 65 inch | 32 in | 42 in | 26 in from the floor |
| 75 inch | 37 in | 42 in | 23 in from the floor |
| 85 inch | 42 in | 42 in | 21 in from the floor |
Look at the pattern: as the screen gets bigger, the bottom edge gets lower. An 85 inch TV mounted with its bottom edge at 21 inches feels startlingly low when you are standing up looking at the wall, and correct the moment you sit down. That is the single most useful thing on this page.
How far back you sit
Viewing distance matters less for height than people assume, but it does soften the rule. The further back you sit, the less a few inches of height error matters, because the angle to your eye changes more slowly.
Close seating, under about eight feet, is where getting the height right matters most.
Bedrooms are the exception
In a bedroom you are usually lying down or propped up, not sitting upright, so your eye level is different and often lower relative to the wall, while your viewing angle points upward.
Bedroom TVs generally go higher than a living room TV, often on a wall opposite the foot of the bed, and a tilt mount angled down earns its money here more than anywhere else.
Above a fireplace
Fireplaces break the rule, because the mantel decides the height rather than your eyes. That is the whole problem with the placement.
If the mantel forces the screen centre far above your eye level, a tilt mount improves the picture angle but not your neck, and a pull down mount is the only thing that genuinely fixes it. Worth reading the fireplace guide before committing.
Why there is no single right number
Any page that gives you one height for all TVs is guessing about your sofa. The variables that actually decide it are your seated eye level, the screen height, and where you sit, and those are personal to your room.
The good news is the rule is easy to apply, and easy to check before anything is drilled. We mark the position and have you look at it before the drill comes out, every time.
Common questions
How high should a 65 inch TV be mounted?
Put the centre of the screen at your seated eye level, typically around 42 inches from the floor, which puts the bottom edge of a 65 inch TV roughly 26 inches up. Measure your own eye level while sitting on the sofa you watch from.
How high should an 85 inch TV be mounted?
Lower than most people expect. With the centre at a typical 42 inch seated eye level, the bottom edge lands around 21 inches from the floor. It looks low when you are standing and correct when you sit down.
Is it bad to mount a TV too high?
It is uncomfortable rather than harmful. Looking up for a long session tires your neck, and many panels lose contrast when viewed from below. A tilt mount helps the picture but does not fix the posture.
Should a bedroom TV be mounted higher?
Usually yes. You watch lying down or propped up rather than sitting upright, so the screen goes higher and a tilt mount angled downward is more useful than in a living room.
Ready to get your TV mounted?
Send your TV size and wall type and you will usually have a flat price back the same day. No site visit needed for most jobs.