diff --git a/web/chat/chat-thread-composer.react.js b/web/chat/chat-thread-composer.react.js
--- a/web/chat/chat-thread-composer.react.js
+++ b/web/chat/chat-thread-composer.react.js
@@ -186,6 +186,7 @@
             onChangeText={setUsernameInputText}
             searchText={usernameInputText}
             placeholder="Select users for chat"
+            autoFocus={true}
           />
         </div>
         <Button className={css.closeSearch} onClick={onCloseSearch}>
diff --git a/web/components/search.react.js b/web/components/search.react.js
--- a/web/components/search.react.js
+++ b/web/components/search.react.js
@@ -8,13 +8,14 @@
 import css from './search.css';
 
 type Props = {
+  ...React.ElementConfig<'input'>,
   +searchText: string,
   +onChangeText: (searchText: string) => mixed,
   +placeholder?: string,
 };
 
 function Search(props: Props, ref): React.Node {
-  const { searchText, onChangeText, placeholder } = props;
+  const { searchText, onChangeText, placeholder, ...rest } = props;
 
   const showClearButton = !!searchText;
 
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@
         <SWMansionIcon size={24} icon="search" />
       </div>
       <input
+        {...rest}
         id={css.searchInputID}
         className={css.searchInput}
         onChange={onChange}