Guides / What is a VESA mount? The monitor-arm standard, explained
What is a VESA mount? The monitor-arm standard, explained
Almost every monitor arm attaches through a VESA mount — a square of four threaded holes on the back of the panel. Match the pattern and any arm in that size fits; miss it (or find no holes) and nothing lines up.
What is a VESA mount? A four-hole square on the back of the panel
A VESA mount is the standardised bolt pattern a display puts on its back so that any arm, stand or wall bracket built to the same pattern will attach to it. It is four (on larger displays, six) threaded holes in a square or rectangle, and the pattern is named by its spacing in millimetres — 100 × 100 means the holes are 100 mm apart horizontally and vertically. The standard fixes the interface and nothing else: it says whether the bracket bolts on, never how much the arm behind it can hold.
The common patterns
VESA sizes are the hole spacing in millimetres, centre-to-centre. On desk monitors you'll almost always meet one of these:
- 100 × 100 mm — the default for most 24–34" monitors. Full guide →
- 75 × 75 mm — smaller, older or lighter panels; many arms ship with both 75 and 100 holes.
- 200 × 100 / 200 × 200 mm — big, heavy 49"+ displays. Full guide →
How to find yours
Remove the stand and measure the horizontal and vertical distance between the four hole centres. 10 cm each way is 100 × 100. No holes at all? That's real on some displays — see no-VESA options.
Pattern is not a weight rating
A bigger hole pattern does not mean the arm holds more. Load is a separate spec — the arm's rated weight. Check both. How arm weight ratings work →
Where the VESA mount standard comes from
The pattern is defined by the Video Electronics Standards Association's Flat Display Mounting Interface (FDMI), whose stated purpose is to define mounting interfaces for flat displays with viewing areas from 102 mm (4") to 2286 mm (90") diagonal. FDMI is split into parts by display size — B (4–7.9"), C (8–11.9"), D (12–22.9"), E (23–30.9") and F (31–90") — and each part specifies its own hole interface and names the maximum display weight it covers, from 2 kg at Part B to 113.6 kg at Part F. VESA also publishes the list of mounting-compliance certified companies.
Manufacturers state the pattern on their own spec sheets, which is faster than a tape measure: Apple, for one, lists the Studio Display as compatible with a 100 × 100 mm VESA stand.
"VESA" is the FDMI/MIS mounting standard from the Video Electronics Standards Association. We reference it as a compatibility fact; we are not affiliated with VESA.
FAQ
How do I find my monitor's VESA size?
Remove the stand and measure the spacing between the four holes, centre to centre. 100mm each way is 100x100; 75mm is 75x75. Or read the manufacturer's spec sheet under 'VESA' or 'wall mount'.
What if my monitor has no VESA holes?
Some displays (several Apple monitors, many portable and 'smart' monitors) ship without VESA holes. You buy a VESA-adapter version, use a model-specific adapter bracket, or keep the factory stand.
Does a bigger VESA pattern hold more weight?
No. The pattern only decides whether the bracket lines up. How much the arm holds is a separate rating — compare it to your panel's weight.