3 Different Ways to Measure a TV Screen

Unless you’re staring at the huge array of brand-new big screen sets in the big-box store, TV screen size probably isn’t something you think about much on a daily basis, even as it pertains to your own TV.

37, 45, 50, who knows? It’s the type of thing some of us think about an awful lot when purchasing a set, along with refresh rate, contrast ratio, and auto-dimming, and then hardly at all afterward. However, there might come a time when you just need to know the size of your TV. That’s why you’re here, and luckily, we’ve got the knowledge to help.

What Are Times When You Would Need to Measure a TV?

Aside from just the general satisfaction in knowing you’re watching Netflix on a 75-inch behemoth, there are a few occasions that might arise where you need to know how to measure a TV screen.

For starters, if you’re reselling your TV, you’ll want to properly list it with the correct size information.

Another reason you might want to measure your TV is if you’re planning to mount it to the wall. You’ll want to purchase a wall mount system that’s rated for the size (as well as weight) of your particular set.

A burgeoning item in the protection market is TV screen protectors to shield against dust, scratches, or worse. Screen protectors are sold in standard sizes, so you’ll want to know the specifics of your TV before you hit ‘purchase’.

Finally, if you’re moving houses or just considering moving the TV to a new room in your home, you’ll want to measure your set to make sure it’ll fit before going to all the hassle.

Whatever the reason, we’ve got the info you need on measuring screen size safely, and accurately, so you can get back to watching the darn thing!

3 Ways to Measure Your TV

The secret of how to measure a TV screen is all in the corners. That’s right: TV screen size is measured diagonally. To further muddy the waters, your screen is likely not going to measure exactly what the box advertised it as.

Round up to the nearest whole number (in inches) to get your standard screen size. For example, a 55-inch set is going to come in at 54.6 inches. A 75-inch screen will also actually measure about a half-inch smaller. Don’t worry - this is normal.

Here are three ways to get definitive proof of your TV screen size:

Get Out The Tape Measure

Measuring TV screen size is not all that complicated. In fact, the most difficult part might be digging the measuring tape out of whatever ill-used corner of the garage it’s made its way to. Once in hand, though, it’s a simple affair of measuring the distance from opposite corners of the TV.

Be sure to measure the screen itself, not the bezels of the TV, as this varies between manufacturers (and unlike most of us at SaharaCase, they’re getting thinner every year). Also, take care not to scratch the screen with the tape measure when measuring television size.

No Tape Measure? No Problem!

Let’s say, just for argument’s sake, that you can’t find your tape measure or aren’t sure you ever had one in the first place. Although it is the handiest tool for the job, you can still figure out how to measure a tv flat screen size with a little ingenuity.

All you need is some string, rope, or heck, your shoelaces will work. Just span the string across the TV diagonally, mark the length with a pen, then lay the string flat on the floor. Now you can use anything you’ve got lying around that you know the length of (maybe a piece of letter-sized paper) to measure how long the string is.

If you have a ruler around, this can be especially useful for this step. However, we don’t recommend placing the ruler directly on the TV screen, as it could scuff or scratch the panel. Using the string as an intermediate step resolves this issue.

Go the Digital Route

Let’s say you just plain don’t want to go to the trouble to actually measure your screen physically. Not to worry! All you need is the make and model of your TV and your favorite internet search engine.

The maker of your TV is usually plastered somewhere on the front bezel in shiny silver like a car emblem. The model, typically a long series of letters and numbers, is almost certainly available on the backside of your set, either etched into the housing or on a sticker.

Now all you need is to put that info into the internet and you’ll be served with plenty of listings, even official manufacturer manuals, giving you all the info you could ever want about your set, including the screen size!

The paper manual that came with your TV will also have that info, but we’re assuming most people don’t have that handy. All the info you need without ever actually measuring television size!

Measuring Your TV Size Made Easy

We hope this article will help you in your quest to figure out just how big (or small) your TV really is. That info can be vital if you’re moving, selling your TV, or planning to purchase a TV screen protector, an invaluable piece of gear for anyone wanting to protect their precious investment for years of entertainment to come. Thanks for reading, and happy measuring!