diff --git a/client/lib/ui/app/app_actions.dart b/client/lib/ui/app/app_actions.dart
index d7f3c892..32cb289a 100644
--- a/client/lib/ui/app/app_actions.dart
+++ b/client/lib/ui/app/app_actions.dart
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@ import 'package:provider/provider.dart';
 
 class AppActions extends StatelessWidget {
   final Widget child;
-  const AppActions({super.key, required this.child});
+  final FocusNode searchFocusNode;
+
+  const AppActions({super.key, required this.child, required this.searchFocusNode});
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
@@ -65,6 +67,7 @@ class AppActions extends StatelessWidget {
         NavForwardIntent: CallbackAction<NavForwardIntent>(
           onInvoke: (i) => context.read<PhylumRouterDelegate>().goForward(),
         ),
+        FocusSearchIntent: CallbackAction<FocusSearchIntent>(onInvoke: (i) => searchFocusNode.requestFocus()),
       },
       child: child,
     );
diff --git a/client/lib/ui/app/app_layout.dart b/client/lib/ui/app/app_layout.dart
index 0a228749..c162fcf1 100644
--- a/client/lib/ui/app/app_layout.dart
+++ b/client/lib/ui/app/app_layout.dart
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import 'package:phylum/ui/menu/bottom_sheet.dart';
 import 'package:phylum/ui/menu/option_groups.dart';
 import 'package:provider/provider.dart';
 
-class AppLayout extends StatelessWidget {
+class AppLayout extends StatefulWidget {
   const AppLayout._();
 
   static Widget create() {
@@ -24,10 +24,28 @@ class AppLayout extends StatelessWidget {
     );
   }
 
+  @override
+  State<AppLayout> createState() => _AppLayoutState();
+}
+
+class _AppLayoutState extends State<AppLayout> {
+  final _searchFocusNode = FocusNode();
+
+  @override
+  void dispose() {
+    _searchFocusNode.dispose();
+    super.dispose();
+  }
+
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
     final size = MediaQuery.sizeOf(context);
-    final layout = size.width <= 600 ? CollapsedAppLayout() : ExpandedAppLayout(large: size.width > 1200);
+    final layout = size.width <= 600
+        ? CollapsedAppLayout()
+        : ExpandedAppLayout(
+            large: size.width > 1200,
+            searchFocusNode: _searchFocusNode,
+          );
     return ExternalDropRegion(
       buildItem: (context, dropTargetActive) {
         final child = (dropTargetActive)
@@ -48,7 +66,10 @@ class AppLayout extends StatelessWidget {
                 ],
               )
             : layout;
-        return AppActions(child: child);
+        return AppActions(
+          searchFocusNode: _searchFocusNode,
+          child: child,
+        );
       },
     );
   }
@@ -121,8 +142,10 @@ class CollapsedAppLayout extends StatelessWidget {
 }
 
 class ExpandedAppLayout extends StatelessWidget {
+  final FocusNode searchFocusNode;
   final bool large;
-  const ExpandedAppLayout({super.key, required this.large});
+
+  const ExpandedAppLayout({super.key, required this.large, required this.searchFocusNode});
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
@@ -156,7 +179,9 @@ class ExpandedAppLayout extends StatelessWidget {
                           child: Icon(Icons.search),
                         ),
                         Expanded(
-                          child: SearchField(),
+                          child: SearchField(
+                            focusNode: searchFocusNode,
+                          ),
                         ),
                       ],
                     ),
diff --git a/client/lib/ui/app/app_shortcuts.dart b/client/lib/ui/app/app_shortcuts.dart
index 38b06022..3477a70f 100644
--- a/client/lib/ui/app/app_shortcuts.dart
+++ b/client/lib/ui/app/app_shortcuts.dart
@@ -96,6 +96,10 @@ class NavIntent extends Intent {
   const NavIntent({required this.target});
 }
 
+class FocusSearchIntent extends Intent {
+  const FocusSearchIntent();
+}
+
 Map<ShortcutActivator, Intent> get appShortcuts => const {
       // General
       SingleActivator(LogicalKeyboardKey.tab): NextFocusIntent(),
@@ -142,6 +146,7 @@ Map<ShortcutActivator, Intent> get appShortcuts => const {
       // Top-level Navigation
       SingleActivator(LogicalKeyboardKey.arrowUp, alt: true): NavUpIntent(),
       SingleActivator(LogicalKeyboardKey.keyH, alt: true): NavIntent(target: ExplorerPageHome()),
+      SingleActivator(LogicalKeyboardKey.keyS, alt: true): FocusSearchIntent(),
       if (!kIsWeb) SingleActivator(LogicalKeyboardKey.arrowLeft, alt: true): NavBackIntent(),
       if (!kIsWeb) SingleActivator(LogicalKeyboardKey.arrowRight, alt: true): NavForwardIntent(),
     };
diff --git a/client/lib/ui/app/search_field.dart b/client/lib/ui/app/search_field.dart
index 25c2a26c..e099200a 100644
--- a/client/lib/ui/app/search_field.dart
+++ b/client/lib/ui/app/search_field.dart
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@ import 'package:phylum/ui/explorer/page.dart';
 import 'package:provider/provider.dart';
 
 class SearchField extends StatefulWidget {
-  const SearchField({super.key});
+  final FocusNode focusNode;
+
+  const SearchField({super.key, required this.focusNode});
 
   @override
   State<SearchField> createState() => _SearchFieldState();
@@ -35,19 +37,25 @@ class _SearchFieldState extends State<SearchField> {
 
   @override
   Widget build(BuildContext context) {
-    return TextField(
-      decoration: InputDecoration.collapsed(
-        hintText: 'Search Files...',
-        hintStyle: TextStyle(fontSize: 18),
-      ),
-      controller: _controller,
-      style: TextStyle(fontSize: 18),
-      onSubmitted: (text) {
-        final query = text.trim();
-        if (query.isNotEmpty) {
-          context.read<PhylumRouterDelegate>().go(ExplorerPageSearch(query: query));
-        }
+    return Actions(
+      actions: {
+        DismissIntent: CallbackAction<DismissIntent>(onInvoke: (i) => widget.focusNode.nextFocus()),
       },
+      child: TextField(
+        decoration: InputDecoration.collapsed(
+          hintText: 'Search Files...',
+          hintStyle: TextStyle(fontSize: 18),
+        ),
+        focusNode: widget.focusNode,
+        controller: _controller,
+        style: TextStyle(fontSize: 18),
+        onSubmitted: (text) {
+          final query = text.trim();
+          if (query.isNotEmpty) {
+            context.read<PhylumRouterDelegate>().go(ExplorerPageSearch(query: query));
+          }
+        },
+      ),
     );
   }
 }