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Lower your keyboard until it is about level with your elbows while your shoulders are relaxed and your wrists stay straight in line with your forearms. Adjust your chair and work surface together; a lower keyboard is not automatically better if it makes you bend your wrists upward or sideways.

How should you lower your keyboard?

Use your posture—not a universal desk measurement—as the fit check. Sit with your back supported, feet resting on the floor or a footrest, shoulders relaxed, and upper arms near your sides. Position the keyboard directly in front of you, close enough that your elbows stay near your body and your forearms are roughly parallel to the floor.

While typing, check that your hands, wrists, and forearms form a straight, aligned line. Your wrists should not bend up, down, or sideways. OSHA advises adjusting the keyboard or chair to reduce awkward wrist angles and achieve a neutral wrist posture: OSHA keyboard guidance.

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Adjust the chair and work surface together

Raise or lower the chair and work surface as needed so your elbows are about the same height as the keyboard. A keyboard that is too high can encourage raised shoulders; one that is too low can cause upward wrist bending. If raising your chair leaves your feet unsupported, use a footrest rather than letting your feet dangle.

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Move the keyboard in small steps

  1. Sit back with your shoulders relaxed, feet supported, and upper arms close to your body.

  2. Adjust the chair and, if possible, the work surface so your elbows are approximately level with the keyboard.

  3. Place the keyboard directly in front of you and bring it close enough to type without reaching.

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  4. Type briefly, then check that your wrists remain straight and your shoulders stay relaxed. Adjust height or tilt in small steps until the overall posture feels neutral.

  5. Keep your mouse or other pointer close enough to use without reaching. Recheck your monitor and other workstation components after moving the keyboard.

What keyboard height should you aim for?

For most people, the useful target is about elbow height with relaxed shoulders and straight wrists—not a particular number of inches. Published measurements are general workstation recommendations, not individualized prescriptions.

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Guidance Measurement How to interpret it
OSHA purchasing guide Keyboard height adjustable between 22 and 30 inches for seated tasks; 36 to 46.5 inches for standing tasks. OSHA also says keyboard height should be about elbow height. These are equipment-adjustment ranges, not a required height for every person. Source.
NIH Office of Research Services A desk 25 to 29 inches high, depending on the individual, or an articulating keyboard tray. This is general setup guidance; choose based on your posture and fit. Source.

Should you use a keyboard tray?

Consider an adjustable keyboard tray if changing chair and desk height cannot bring the keyboard to a comfortable position—particularly when a fixed-height desk is too high. A tray is an option, not a requirement. A suitable chair adjustment or height-adjustable desk may solve the same alignment problem.

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When evaluating a tray, check whether it:

  • Adjusts in height and tilt.

  • Has enough room for both keyboard and mouse, keeping the pointer close and reachable.

  • Leaves adequate space for your legs and feet under the work surface.

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  • Fits your desk and lets you keep your elbows near your body and wrists straight.

A tray that puts the mouse too far away can trade one awkward posture for another. OSHA discusses these fit and clearance considerations in its keyboard guidance and purchasing guide.

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Should the keyboard feet be up or down?

Use whichever tilt lets you keep your wrists straight while typing. Keyboard feet are not an ergonomic rule: if raising them makes your wrists bend upward, leave them down or adjust the keyboard’s position another way. OSHA recommends changing keyboard tilt as needed to maintain neutral wrists.

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What if lowering the keyboard does not help?

Recheck the whole setup rather than continuing to lower the keyboard. Your chair, desk, keyboard, mouse, and monitor work together; changing one component can affect the others. OSHA recommends arranging workstation components to support neutral posture and changing position during the day. See its good working positions guidance.

Alternative keyboards may help some users maintain a neutral wrist position, but they can take time to get used to. OSHA’s guidance says available evidence does not conclusively show that alternative keyboards prevent discomfort or injury. No keyboard, tray, or wrist rest should be treated as a guaranteed way to prevent or cure an injury.

When should you take symptoms seriously?

OSHA lists symptoms associated with computer-use musculoskeletal concerns that can include numbness or burning in the hand, tingling, reduced grip strength, swelling or stiffness, wrist or forearm pain, cramping, and weakness. These symptoms do not establish a diagnosis. Report concerns early, as OSHA advises, and seek appropriate professional assessment if symptoms persist or worsen. Its work-process guidance also recommends varying tasks, changing position, and taking short pauses; it gives a five-minute break each hour as an example, not a universal medical threshold or proven treatment.

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