diff --git a/plugins/file-manager/src/frontend/FileManagerToolbar.tsx b/plugins/file-manager/src/frontend/FileManagerToolbar.tsx
index 46ed52212..f8ba3d64b 100644
--- a/plugins/file-manager/src/frontend/FileManagerToolbar.tsx
+++ b/plugins/file-manager/src/frontend/FileManagerToolbar.tsx
@@ -232,6 +232,43 @@ export function FileManagerToolbar({
   sidebarOpen = true,
   onToggleSidebar,
 }: FileManagerToolbarProps) {
+  const searchInputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const handleSearchShortcut = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
+      if (
+        event.defaultPrevented ||
+        !(event.ctrlKey || event.metaKey) ||
+        event.altKey ||
+        event.shiftKey ||
+        event.key.toLowerCase() !== "f"
+      )
+        return;
+
+      const input = searchInputRef.current;
+      if (!input) return;
+      const visible =
+        typeof input.checkVisibility === "function"
+          ? input.checkVisibility({ visibilityProperty: true })
+          : input.offsetParent !== null;
+      if (!visible) return;
+      const active = document.activeElement;
+      if (
+        active !== input &&
+        active?.closest(
+          'input, textarea, [contenteditable="true"], [role="dialog"]',
+        )
+      )
+        return;
+
+      event.preventDefault();
+      input.focus();
+      input.select();
+    };
+    document.addEventListener("keydown", handleSearchShortcut);
+    return () => document.removeEventListener("keydown", handleSearchShortcut);
+  }, []);
+
   return (
     <div className="flex flex-col shrink-0 mx-3 mt-3 border border-border bg-card">
       <div className="flex flex-row items-center justify-between px-3 py-2 gap-2">
@@ -325,6 +362,7 @@ export function FileManagerToolbar({
           <div className="relative w-28 md:w-48">
             <Search className="absolute left-2.5 top-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 size-3.5 text-muted-foreground" />
             <Input
+              ref={searchInputRef}
               placeholder={t("fileManager.searchFiles")}
               value={searchQuery}
               onChange={(e) => setSearchQuery(e.target.value)}
diff --git a/plugins/file-manager/tests/frontend/FileManagerToolbar.test.tsx b/plugins/file-manager/tests/frontend/FileManagerToolbar.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..91f87a994
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/file-manager/tests/frontend/FileManagerToolbar.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+import React from "react";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen } from "@testing-library/react";
+import "@testing-library/jest-dom/vitest";
+import { FileManagerToolbar } from "../../src/frontend/FileManagerToolbar";
+
+const props: React.ComponentProps<typeof FileManagerToolbar> = {
+  t: (key) => key,
+  currentPath: "/home/alice",
+  navIndex: 0,
+  navHistoryLength: 1,
+  isLoading: false,
+  sshSessionId: "session",
+  selectedFiles: [],
+  searchQuery: "report",
+  setSearchQuery: vi.fn(),
+  viewMode: "list",
+  setViewMode: vi.fn(),
+  density: "comfortable",
+  setDensity: vi.fn(),
+  sortBy: "name",
+  setSortBy: vi.fn(),
+  sortOrder: "asc",
+  setSortOrder: vi.fn(),
+  setMobileSidebarOpen: vi.fn(),
+  goBack: vi.fn(),
+  goForward: vi.fn(),
+  goUp: vi.fn(),
+  navigateTo: vi.fn(),
+  handleRefreshDirectory: vi.fn(),
+  handleDeleteFiles: vi.fn(),
+  handleCopyFiles: vi.fn(),
+  handleFilesDropped: vi.fn(),
+  handleCreateNewFolder: vi.fn(),
+  handleCreateNewFile: vi.fn(),
+};
+
+function toolbar(visible = true) {
+  const view = render(<FileManagerToolbar {...props} />);
+  const input = view.getByPlaceholderText(
+    "fileManager.searchFiles",
+  ) as HTMLInputElement;
+  Object.defineProperty(input, "checkVisibility", { value: () => visible });
+  return { ...view, input };
+}
+
+afterEach(cleanup);
+
+describe("file search shortcut", () => {
+  it.each([{ ctrlKey: true }, { metaKey: true }])(
+    "focuses and selects the search query with %j",
+    (modifier) => {
+      const { input } = toolbar();
+      expect(fireEvent.keyDown(document, { key: "f", ...modifier })).toBe(
+        false,
+      );
+      expect(input).toHaveFocus();
+      expect([input.selectionStart, input.selectionEnd]).toEqual([0, 6]);
+    },
+  );
+
+  it("does not handle the shortcut in a hidden tab", () => {
+    const { input } = toolbar(false);
+    expect(fireEvent.keyDown(document, { key: "f", ctrlKey: true })).toBe(true);
+    expect(input).not.toHaveFocus();
+  });
+
+  it("leaves editor and dialog shortcuts alone", () => {
+    const { input } = toolbar();
+    render(
+      <>
+        <textarea aria-label="editor" />
+        <div role="dialog">
+          <button>Dialog action</button>
+        </div>
+      </>,
+    );
+    for (const target of [
+      screen.getByLabelText("editor"),
+      screen.getByText("Dialog action"),
+    ]) {
+      target.focus();
+      expect(fireEvent.keyDown(target, { key: "f", ctrlKey: true })).toBe(true);
+      expect(target).toHaveFocus();
+      expect(input).not.toHaveFocus();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("does not intercept unmodified or already handled keys", () => {
+    const { input } = toolbar();
+    fireEvent.keyDown(document, { key: "f" });
+    const event = new KeyboardEvent("keydown", {
+      key: "f",
+      ctrlKey: true,
+      cancelable: true,
+    });
+    event.preventDefault();
+    document.dispatchEvent(event);
+    expect(input).not.toHaveFocus();
+  });
+});