How high should you mount a TV?

The most common mounting mistake isn't a crooked TV — it's a TV hung too high. People mount where it "looks right" standing in an empty room, then spend years tilting their head back from the couch.

The rule

Put the center of the screen at about seated eye level. On a typical sofa, eyes sit roughly 40–44 inches off the floor, so most living-room TVs land with their center around 42 inches. Sit on your own couch and have someone measure to your eyes — that number beats any chart.

What that means for the bottom edge

Bigger screens are taller, so their bottom edge sits lower when the center stays at eye level. For a 16:9 TV the screen height is about 0.49 × the diagonal:

TV size	Screen height	Bottom edge with center at 42″
43″	21″	about 31″ from the floor
55″	27″	about 28.5″
65″	32″	about 26″
75″	37″	about 23.5″
85″	42″	about 21″

If a media console sits under the TV, the bottom edge needs a few inches of clearance above it, and you may end up slightly higher than the rule — that's fine. Up to roughly 10–15° above your eye line is comfortable for most people.

Bedrooms are different

In bed you're reclined, so your eyes are higher and further back. Bedroom TVs usually go higher than living-room TVs, with a tilt bracket angled down toward the pillows. Lie down where you watch and look straight ahead: that's roughly where the screen center should be.

Over a fireplace

The mantel forces the TV up, often to 60 inches or more at the bottom edge. If you can, keep it as low as the mantel clearance allows and angle it down with a tilt bracket. Our fireplace guide covers heat and clearance.

Quick checklist before drilling

• Sit where you'll watch and measure to your eyes.
• Tape the TV's outline on the wall with painter's tape and live with it for a day.
• Check light switches, outlets and furniture under the screen.
• Decide fixed vs. tilt before you drill — tilt brackets stand further off the wall.

When we mount a TV for you, we hold a template at your chosen height and check it from your seat before a single hole goes in.