What equipment do I need to work from home?

At minimum, a computer that meets the employer's specs, reliable internet, a headset with a microphone for calls, and a workspace where you can concentrate. Many employers provide the computer; read the offer before buying.

Does my employer have to pay for my work from home equipment?

It depends on the employer and your location. Many provide laptops and some offer a stipend, but it isn't universal. Get the equipment policy in writing before you accept an offer.

Can I deduct my home office if I work from home?

In the US, employees can't, according to IRS Publication 587; self-employed people may if they meet the regular and exclusive use rules. Canada and the UK have their own rules, so check with the CRA or HMRC.

How do I set up a home office in a small space?

Use a consistent corner or table, get the screen near eye level with a laptop stand or books, add an external keyboard and mouse, and use a headset to cut background noise.

Work From Home Setup: What You Actually Need (2026)

A work from home setup is the equipment, space and routine you need to do a remote job reliably: a computer that meets your employer's requirements, stable internet, a headset, a quiet place to work, and a chair and screen arranged so you can sit for hours without strain. Most people need far less than home-office shopping lists suggest.

The right setup depends on the job. A customer support role may need a wired connection and a noise-cancelling headset; a writing job may need little more than a laptop. This guide covers what to check first, what to buy (and skip), how to avoid equipment scams, and what the tax rules say in the US, UK and Canada.

What do you need to work from home?

You need five things: a suitable computer, reliable internet, a way to take calls, a workspace you can focus in, and a setup that doesn't hurt your body. Everything else is optional.

Item	Why it matters	Budget approach	Who often pays
Computer	Runs the employer's software and security tools	Use what you have if it meets the specs	Employer, in many remote jobs
Internet connection	Calls, cloud tools, uploads	Test your current plan before upgrading	Usually you
Headset with microphone	Clear calls, less background noise	A wired headset is often enough	Sometimes the employer
Workspace	Focus and privacy for calls	A consistent corner beats a spare room you don't have	You
Chair, screen height, keyboard	Prevents neck, back and wrist strain	Laptop stand or books, external keyboard and mouse	You, sometimes a stipend
Backup plan	Outages happen	Phone hotspot or a nearby place to work	You

Check the employer's requirements before you buy

Many remote job postings list technical requirements, and some employers send you a configured laptop. Read the offer and onboarding documents first.

Look for:

Computer specs or a company device. Many employers require their own laptop for security. Don't buy a new machine until you know.
Internet requirements. Some roles specify minimum speeds or require a wired Ethernet connection instead of Wi-Fi, especially for voice support.
Headset specs. Support roles may require a USB headset with noise cancellation.
Workspace rules. Some jobs that handle health, financial or customer data require a private, lockable room or no one else within earshot.
Location rules. Many remote jobs require you to work from a specific country or state.

If a requirement isn't clear, ask the recruiter in writing. It's a normal question. Knowing what a genuine onboarding looks like is part of finding legit work from home jobs, and it protects you from the equipment scams described below.

Internet: how to know if yours is good enough

Your connection needs to handle video calls and cloud tools without dropping, not just load web pages.

Run a speed test at the time of day you'll be working, and check upload speed, not only download. Video calls need both.
Test a real video call with a friend while someone else in the house streams.
Use a cable if you can. A wired connection is usually more stable than Wi-Fi.
Know your backup. A phone hotspot can carry you through a short outage; tell your team early when it happens.

If the employer lists a minimum speed, that's the number to meet.

Ergonomics: a setup you can sit at all day

OSHA's computer workstation guidance says there's no single "correct" posture, but a few principles apply to almost everyone:

Screen: "top of monitor at or just below eye level". A laptop on a stand or a stack of books gets you there.
Wrists: keep "wrists and hands in-line with forearms". An external keyboard and mouse help if you use a laptop.
Elbows: close to your body and supported.
Back: lower back supported, shoulders relaxed.
Feet: flat on the floor or on a footrest.

Working from the sofa or bed for a few days is fine. Working from it for months usually isn't.

Security basics for working from home

Remote employers trust you with their systems and often their customers' data. A few habits protect both of you:

Use the company device for company work if you're given one, and don't install personal apps on it.
Turn on multi-factor authentication on every work account that offers it.
Keep software updated on any device you use for work.
Avoid public Wi-Fi for work unless your employer provides a VPN and tells you to use it.
Lock your screen when you step away, even at home.
Don't let others use your work accounts or devices, including family members.

Many employers include these rules in onboarding. Following them from day one is part of being trusted with remote work.

Never buy equipment with an employer's check

One of the most common remote job scams uses equipment as the hook. You're "hired", sent a check, and told to buy equipment from a specific vendor or send part of the money to one.

The FTC explains why it works: banks have to make deposited funds available quickly, but "fake checks can take weeks to be discovered", and you owe the bank the money. The FBI's IC3 lists requiring employees to buy start-up equipment from the company as a sign of an employment scam.

A real employer either ships you equipment, reimburses you through payroll after you buy it, or pays a stipend. It doesn't send you a check to forward. Read our full guide to work-from-home scams for the other versions of this scheme.

Work from home setup and taxes

Tax rules differ by country and by whether you're an employee or self-employed. As of 2026:

United States

IRS Publication 587 says employees can't deduct business use of their home. Self-employed people may claim it if a part of the home is used regularly and exclusively for business; the IRS simplified method allows $5 per square foot for up to 300 square feet.

United Kingdom

Employees who had to work from home could claim £6 a week in tax relief, but GOV.UK states that from the tax year 6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027 you won't be able to claim it. You can still claim for the four previous tax years if you were eligible.

Canada

Employees may claim some home office expenses under the CRA's detailed method only if conditions are met, including being required by the employer to work from home, working there more than 50% of the time for at least four consecutive weeks, and having a signed Form T2200 from the employer.

Rules change, so check the official page for your country before filing.

Routine and boundaries matter as much as gear

Equipment gets you started; habits keep remote work working. In a Pew Research Center survey from October 2024, 73% of people working from home at least some of the time said it helped them balance work and personal life, but 49% said it made it harder to feel connected with co-workers.

Practical habits:

Fixed start and stop times, even if your job is flexible.
A dedicated space, even a small one, so work stays in one place.
Separate accounts. Keep work files on work systems; don't forward them to personal email.
Visible communication. Say when you're online, share progress, and use video for tricky conversations.

For a fuller look at the trade-offs, see work from home vs office.

Next steps

Get the job requirements first, then fill only the gaps.

If you're still job hunting, start with our list of legit work from home jobs.
Explore other ways to earn in our guide to making money online.
For a structured path from setup to your first remote offer, see our work from home jobs guide.