A method for operating a confocal white light sensor on a coordinate measuring machine including a sensor carrier configured to couple a coordinate measurement sensor that is movable in a straight movement direction relative to a base of the coordinate measuring machine is provided. A confocal white light sensor is coupled to the sensor carrier and oriented in the straight movement direction toward a reference body. The sensor carrier and the reference body are moved relative to one another in the straight movement direction, and a measurement signal representing a distance between the confocal white light sensor and the reference body is generated at different movement positions. Information relating to a relationship between measurement signals of the confocal white light sensor and an actual distance of the white light sensor to a measurement object is obtained and a measurement value of the object distance is generated.