As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links to Amazon on this page are affiliate links.
How to adjust an office chair, step by step
Updated
Adjust your chair in this order: seat height first, then seat depth, lumbar, recline and arms. Then set the desk or add a footrest to match. Each step changes the next, so going in order saves you from redoing it.
The six steps
- Seat height. Stand in front of the chair and raise or lower it until the seat is just below your kneecap. Sit down. OSHA says the height is right when your whole foot rests on the floor and the back of your knee is slightly higher than the seat. A starting point by our rule of thumb is about one quarter of your height plus an inch for shoes. For a 5 ft 8 in person, that is about 18 inches.
- Seat depth. Sit all the way back. You want two or three fingers of space between the seat edge and the back of your knee. OSHA says the seat should hold most of your thigh without touching behind the knee. If the seat slides, move it now. If it does not, see step 3.
- Lumbar. Move the lumbar pad up or down until the curve sits in the small of your back. If the seat is too deep and does not slide, a firm cushion here moves you forward.
- Recline and tension. Unlock the back and lean. OSHA's guide asks for at least 15 degrees of recline from vertical. Cornell suggests working at a slight lean of 100 to 110 degrees. Set the tension so the back holds you without pushing you forward.
- Arms. OSHA says to set them so they just touch your forearms with your shoulders relaxed and your arms at your sides. If they stop you from pulling close to the desk, lower them or take them off. See armrest height.
- Desk and feet. Your elbows should be near desk height. If you had to raise the chair to reach the desk and your feet now dangle, add a footrest. OSHA names that as the fix when the seat cannot go lower.
Common lever layout
| Control | Usually | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Paddle under the right side of the seat | Lift while seated to go down, lift while standing to go up | Seat height |
| Second paddle or bar under the front | Lift and slide | Seat depth, if the chair has it |
| Large knob under the seat | Turn | Tilt tension |
| Lever on the left | Up or down | Tilt lock |
Layouts vary, so check the manual for your chair. Weight-activated chairs, like the Steelcase Series 1, have no tension knob. The HON Ignition 2.0 has a seat slide, which makes step 2 easy.
After you set it
OSHA's positions guide says to change position often through the day, with small changes to your chair or backrest. A chair that fits is one you can move in, not one that holds you still. If a step will not work because the seat is too high or too deep, that is a fit problem, not a setup problem. Check your numbers with the calculator and read which adjustments are real.