diff --git a/native/chat/chat-thread-list.react.js b/native/chat/chat-thread-list.react.js
index d56434258..f1ca2c3ab 100644
--- a/native/chat/chat-thread-list.react.js
+++ b/native/chat/chat-thread-list.react.js
@@ -1,428 +1,507 @@
 // @flow
 
 import invariant from 'invariant';
 import _sum from 'lodash/fp/sum';
 import * as React from 'react';
-import { View, FlatList, Platform, TextInput } from 'react-native';
+import {
+  View,
+  FlatList,
+  Platform,
+  TextInput,
+  TouchableWithoutFeedback,
+} from 'react-native';
 import { FloatingAction } from 'react-native-floating-action';
 import IonIcon from 'react-native-vector-icons/Ionicons';
 import { createSelector } from 'reselect';
 
 import { searchUsers } from 'lib/actions/user-actions';
 import {
   type ChatThreadItem,
   useFlattenedChatListData,
 } from 'lib/selectors/chat-selectors';
 import { threadSearchIndex as threadSearchIndexSelector } from 'lib/selectors/nav-selectors';
 import { usersWithPersonalThreadSelector } from 'lib/selectors/user-selectors';
 import SearchIndex from 'lib/shared/search-index';
 import {
   createPendingThread,
   createPendingThreadItem,
   threadIsTopLevel,
 } from 'lib/shared/thread-utils';
 import type { UserSearchResult } from 'lib/types/search-types';
 import type { ThreadInfo } from 'lib/types/thread-types';
 import { threadTypes } from 'lib/types/thread-types';
 import type { GlobalAccountUserInfo, UserInfo } from 'lib/types/user-types';
 import { useServerCall } from 'lib/utils/action-utils';
 
 import Search from '../components/search.react';
 import type { TabNavigationProp } from '../navigation/app-navigator.react';
 import {
   MessageListRouteName,
   SidebarListModalRouteName,
   HomeChatThreadListRouteName,
   BackgroundChatThreadListRouteName,
   type NavigationRoute,
 } from '../navigation/route-names';
 import { useSelector } from '../redux/redux-utils';
 import {
   type IndicatorStyle,
   indicatorStyleSelector,
   useStyles,
 } from '../themes/colors';
 import ChatThreadListItem from './chat-thread-list-item.react';
 import type {
   ChatTopTabsNavigationProp,
   ChatNavigationProp,
 } from './chat.react';
 
 const floatingActions = [
   {
     text: 'Compose',
     icon: <IonIcon name="md-create" size={24} color="#FFFFFF" />,
     name: 'compose',
     position: 1,
   },
 ];
 
 type Item =
   | ChatThreadItem
   | {| +type: 'search', +searchText: string |}
   | {| +type: 'empty', +emptyItem: React.ComponentType<{||}> |};
 
 type BaseProps = {|
   +navigation:
     | ChatTopTabsNavigationProp<'HomeChatThreadList'>
     | ChatTopTabsNavigationProp<'BackgroundChatThreadList'>,
   +route:
     | NavigationRoute<'HomeChatThreadList'>
     | NavigationRoute<'BackgroundChatThreadList'>,
   +filterThreads: (threadItem: ThreadInfo) => boolean,
   +emptyItem?: React.ComponentType<{||}>,
 |};
 type Props = {|
   ...BaseProps,
   // Redux state
   +chatListData: $ReadOnlyArray<ChatThreadItem>,
   +viewerID: ?string,
   +threadSearchIndex: SearchIndex,
   +styles: typeof unboundStyles,
   +indicatorStyle: IndicatorStyle,
   +usersWithPersonalThread: $ReadOnlySet<string>,
   // async functions that hit server APIs
   +searchUsers: (usernamePrefix: string) => Promise<UserSearchResult>,
 |};
+type SearchStatus = 'inactive' | 'activating' | 'active';
 type State = {|
+  +searchStatus: SearchStatus,
   +searchText: string,
   +threadsSearchResults: Set<string>,
   +usersSearchResults: $ReadOnlyArray<GlobalAccountUserInfo>,
   +openedSwipeableId: string,
 |};
 type PropsAndState = {| ...Props, ...State |};
 class ChatThreadList extends React.PureComponent<Props, State> {
   state: State = {
+    searchStatus: 'inactive',
     searchText: '',
     threadsSearchResults: new Set(),
     usersSearchResults: [],
     openedSwipeableId: '',
   };
   searchInput: ?React.ElementRef<typeof TextInput>;
   flatList: ?FlatList<Item>;
   scrollPos = 0;
 
   componentDidMount() {
     const chatNavigation: ?ChatNavigationProp<
       'ChatThreadList',
     > = this.props.navigation.dangerouslyGetParent();
     invariant(chatNavigation, 'ChatNavigator should be within TabNavigator');
     const tabNavigation: ?TabNavigationProp<
       'Chat',
     > = chatNavigation.dangerouslyGetParent();
     invariant(tabNavigation, 'ChatNavigator should be within TabNavigator');
     tabNavigation.addListener('tabPress', this.onTabPress);
   }
 
   componentWillUnmount() {
     const chatNavigation: ?ChatNavigationProp<
       'ChatThreadList',
     > = this.props.navigation.dangerouslyGetParent();
     invariant(chatNavigation, 'ChatNavigator should be within TabNavigator');
     const tabNavigation: ?TabNavigationProp<
       'Chat',
     > = chatNavigation.dangerouslyGetParent();
     invariant(tabNavigation, 'ChatNavigator should be within TabNavigator');
     tabNavigation.removeListener('tabPress', this.onTabPress);
   }
 
+  componentDidUpdate(prevProps: Props, prevState: State) {
+    const { flatList } = this;
+    if (!flatList) {
+      return;
+    }
+    const { searchStatus } = this.state;
+    const prevSearchStatus = prevState.searchStatus;
+    if (searchStatus === 'activating' && prevSearchStatus === 'inactive') {
+      flatList.scrollToOffset({ offset: 0, animated: true });
+    }
+  }
+
   onTabPress = () => {
     if (!this.props.navigation.isFocused()) {
       return;
     }
     if (this.scrollPos > 0 && this.flatList) {
       this.flatList.scrollToOffset({ offset: 0, animated: true });
     } else if (this.props.route.name === BackgroundChatThreadListRouteName) {
       this.props.navigation.navigate({ name: HomeChatThreadListRouteName });
     }
   };
 
-  renderItem = (row: { item: Item }) => {
-    const item = row.item;
-    if (item.type === 'search') {
-      return (
+  onSearchFocus = () => {
+    if (this.state.searchStatus !== 'inactive') {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (this.scrollPos === 0) {
+      this.setState({ searchStatus: 'active' });
+    } else {
+      this.setState({ searchStatus: 'activating' });
+    }
+  };
+
+  onSearchBlur = () => {
+    if (this.state.searchStatus !== 'active') {
+      return;
+    }
+    const { flatList } = this;
+    flatList && flatList.scrollToOffset({ offset: 0, animated: false });
+    this.setState({ searchStatus: 'inactive' });
+  };
+
+  renderSearch(additionalProps?: $Shape<React.ElementConfig<typeof Search>>) {
+    return (
+      <View style={this.props.styles.searchContainer}>
         <Search
           searchText={this.state.searchText}
           onChangeText={this.onChangeSearchText}
           containerStyle={this.props.styles.search}
+          onBlur={this.onSearchBlur}
           placeholder="Search threads"
           ref={this.searchInputRef}
+          {...additionalProps}
         />
+      </View>
+    );
+  }
+
+  searchInputRef = (searchInput: ?React.ElementRef<typeof TextInput>) => {
+    this.searchInput = searchInput;
+  };
+
+  renderItem = (row: { item: Item }) => {
+    const item = row.item;
+    if (item.type === 'search') {
+      return (
+        <TouchableWithoutFeedback onPress={this.onSearchFocus}>
+          {this.renderSearch({ active: false })}
+        </TouchableWithoutFeedback>
       );
     }
     if (item.type === 'empty') {
       const EmptyItem = item.emptyItem;
       return <EmptyItem />;
     }
     return (
       <ChatThreadListItem
         data={item}
         onPressItem={this.onPressItem}
         onPressSeeMoreSidebars={this.onPressSeeMoreSidebars}
         onSwipeableWillOpen={this.onSwipeableWillOpen}
         currentlyOpenedSwipeableId={this.state.openedSwipeableId}
       />
     );
   };
 
-  searchInputRef = (searchInput: ?React.ElementRef<typeof TextInput>) => {
-    this.searchInput = searchInput;
-  };
-
   static keyExtractor(item: Item) {
     if (item.type === 'chatThreadItem') {
       return item.threadInfo.id;
     } else if (item.type === 'empty') {
       return 'empty';
     } else {
       return 'search';
     }
   }
 
   static getItemLayout(data: ?$ReadOnlyArray<Item>, index: number) {
     if (!data) {
       return { length: 0, offset: 0, index };
     }
     const offset = ChatThreadList.heightOfItems(
       data.filter((_, i) => i < index),
     );
     const item = data[index];
     const length = item ? ChatThreadList.itemHeight(item) : 0;
     return { length, offset, index };
   }
 
   static itemHeight(item: Item): number {
     if (item.type === 'search') {
       return Platform.OS === 'ios' ? 54.5 : 55;
     }
 
     // itemHeight for emptyItem might be wrong because of line wrapping
     // but we don't care because we'll only ever be rendering this item by itself
     // and it should always be on-screen
     if (item.type === 'empty') {
       return 123;
     }
 
     return 60 + item.sidebars.length * 30;
   }
 
   static heightOfItems(data: $ReadOnlyArray<Item>): number {
     return _sum(data.map(ChatThreadList.itemHeight));
   }
 
   listDataSelector = createSelector(
     (propsAndState: PropsAndState) => propsAndState.chatListData,
+    (propsAndState: PropsAndState) => propsAndState.searchStatus,
     (propsAndState: PropsAndState) => propsAndState.searchText,
     (propsAndState: PropsAndState) => propsAndState.threadsSearchResults,
     (propsAndState: PropsAndState) => propsAndState.emptyItem,
     (propsAndState: PropsAndState) => propsAndState.usersSearchResults,
     (
       reduxChatListData: $ReadOnlyArray<ChatThreadItem>,
+      searchStatus: SearchStatus,
       searchText: string,
       threadsSearchResults: Set<string>,
       emptyItem?: React.ComponentType<{||}>,
       usersSearchResults: $ReadOnlyArray<GlobalAccountUserInfo>,
     ): Item[] => {
       const chatItems = [];
 
       if (!searchText) {
         chatItems.push(
           ...reduxChatListData.filter(
             (item) =>
               threadIsTopLevel(item.threadInfo) &&
               this.props.filterThreads(item.threadInfo),
           ),
         );
       } else {
         const privateThreads = [];
         const personalThreads = [];
         const otherThreads = [];
         for (const item of reduxChatListData) {
           if (!threadsSearchResults.has(item.threadInfo.id)) {
             continue;
           }
           if (item.threadInfo.type === threadTypes.PRIVATE) {
             privateThreads.push({ ...item, sidebars: [] });
           } else if (item.threadInfo.type === threadTypes.PERSONAL) {
             personalThreads.push({ ...item, sidebars: [] });
           } else {
             otherThreads.push({ ...item, sidebars: [] });
           }
         }
         chatItems.push(...privateThreads, ...personalThreads, ...otherThreads);
         const { viewerID } = this.props;
         if (viewerID) {
           chatItems.push(
             ...usersSearchResults.map((user) =>
               createPendingThreadItem(viewerID, user),
             ),
           );
         }
       }
 
       if (emptyItem && chatItems.length === 0) {
         chatItems.push({ type: 'empty', emptyItem });
       }
 
-      return [{ type: 'search', searchText }, ...chatItems];
+      if (searchStatus === 'inactive' || searchStatus === 'activating') {
+        chatItems.unshift({ type: 'search', searchText });
+      }
+
+      return chatItems;
     },
   );
 
   get listData() {
     return this.listDataSelector({ ...this.props, ...this.state });
   }
 
   render() {
-    let floatingAction = null;
+    let floatingAction;
     if (Platform.OS === 'android') {
       floatingAction = (
         <FloatingAction
           actions={floatingActions}
           overrideWithAction
           onPressItem={this.composeThread}
           color="#66AA66"
         />
       );
     }
+    let fixedSearch;
+    const { searchStatus } = this.state;
+    if (searchStatus === 'active') {
+      fixedSearch = this.renderSearch({ autoFocus: true });
+    }
+    const scrollEnabled =
+      searchStatus === 'inactive' || searchStatus === 'active';
     // this.props.viewerID is in extraData since it's used by MessagePreview
     // within ChatThreadListItem
     return (
       <View style={this.props.styles.container}>
+        {fixedSearch}
         <FlatList
           data={this.listData}
           renderItem={this.renderItem}
           keyExtractor={ChatThreadList.keyExtractor}
           getItemLayout={ChatThreadList.getItemLayout}
           extraData={`${this.props.viewerID || ''} ${
             this.state.openedSwipeableId
           }`}
           initialNumToRender={11}
           keyboardShouldPersistTaps="handled"
           onScroll={this.onScroll}
           style={this.props.styles.flatList}
           indicatorStyle={this.props.indicatorStyle}
+          scrollEnabled={scrollEnabled}
+          removeClippedSubviews={true}
           ref={this.flatListRef}
         />
         {floatingAction}
       </View>
     );
   }
 
   flatListRef = (flatList: ?FlatList<Item>) => {
     this.flatList = flatList;
   };
 
   onScroll = (event: { +nativeEvent: { +contentOffset: { +y: number } } }) => {
+    const oldScrollPos = this.scrollPos;
     this.scrollPos = event.nativeEvent.contentOffset.y;
+    if (this.scrollPos !== 0 || oldScrollPos === 0) {
+      return;
+    }
+    if (this.state.searchStatus === 'activating') {
+      this.setState({ searchStatus: 'active' });
+    }
   };
 
   async searchUsers(usernamePrefix: string) {
     if (usernamePrefix.length === 0) {
       return [];
     }
 
     const { userInfos } = await this.props.searchUsers(usernamePrefix);
     return userInfos.filter(
       (info) =>
         !this.props.usersWithPersonalThread.has(info.id) &&
         info.id !== this.props.viewerID,
     );
   }
 
   onChangeSearchText = async (searchText: string) => {
     const results = this.props.threadSearchIndex.getSearchResults(searchText);
     this.setState({ searchText, threadsSearchResults: new Set(results) });
     const usersSearchResults = await this.searchUsers(searchText);
     this.setState({ usersSearchResults });
   };
 
   onPressItem = (
     threadInfo: ThreadInfo,
     pendingPersonalThreadUserInfo?: UserInfo,
   ) => {
     this.onChangeSearchText('');
     if (this.searchInput) {
       this.searchInput.blur();
     }
     this.props.navigation.navigate({
       name: MessageListRouteName,
       params: { threadInfo, pendingPersonalThreadUserInfo },
       key: `${MessageListRouteName}${threadInfo.id}`,
     });
   };
 
   onPressSeeMoreSidebars = (threadInfo: ThreadInfo) => {
     this.onChangeSearchText('');
     if (this.searchInput) {
       this.searchInput.blur();
     }
     this.props.navigation.navigate({
       name: SidebarListModalRouteName,
       params: { threadInfo },
     });
   };
 
   onSwipeableWillOpen = (threadInfo: ThreadInfo) => {
     this.setState((state) => ({ ...state, openedSwipeableId: threadInfo.id }));
   };
 
   composeThread = () => {
     if (this.props.viewerID) {
       this.props.navigation.navigate({
         name: MessageListRouteName,
         params: {
           threadInfo: createPendingThread({
             viewerID: this.props.viewerID,
             threadType: threadTypes.CHAT_SECRET,
           }),
           searching: true,
         },
       });
     }
   };
 }
 
 const unboundStyles = {
   icon: {
     fontSize: 28,
   },
   container: {
     flex: 1,
   },
+  searchContainer: {
+    backgroundColor: 'listBackground',
+  },
   search: {
     marginBottom: 8,
     marginHorizontal: 12,
     marginTop: Platform.OS === 'android' ? 10 : 8,
   },
   flatList: {
     flex: 1,
     backgroundColor: 'listBackground',
   },
 };
 
 export default React.memo<BaseProps>(function ConnectedChatThreadList(
   props: BaseProps,
 ) {
   const boundChatListData = useFlattenedChatListData();
   const viewerID = useSelector(
     (state) => state.currentUserInfo && state.currentUserInfo.id,
   );
   const threadSearchIndex = useSelector(threadSearchIndexSelector);
   const styles = useStyles(unboundStyles);
   const indicatorStyle = useSelector(indicatorStyleSelector);
   const callSearchUsers = useServerCall(searchUsers);
   const usersWithPersonalThread = useSelector(usersWithPersonalThreadSelector);
 
   return (
     <ChatThreadList
       {...props}
       chatListData={boundChatListData}
       viewerID={viewerID}
       threadSearchIndex={threadSearchIndex}
       styles={styles}
       indicatorStyle={indicatorStyle}
       searchUsers={callSearchUsers}
       usersWithPersonalThread={usersWithPersonalThread}
     />
   );
 });