diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5b0a15d..6cef45b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ see [Screen capture](#screen-capture).
   frame), and **Ctrl-Shift-C** its full path. Neither acts while you type in the search box. They
   are `copy_image` and `copy_path` in `[hotkeys]` in `settings.config`. Copying images is Windows
   only so far.
+- **Ctrl-F** puts the keyboard in the search box, its text selected (`focus_search` in `[hotkeys]`).
 - **Files added or deleted outside the app** (in Explorer, by another program) appear in the grid
   or leave it on their own, folders added, renamed or deleted too: the library is watched.
   **Refresh** looks at the whole folder again, should the watcher have missed something.
diff --git a/assets/data/default_hotkeys.config b/assets/data/default_hotkeys.config
index 06059d1..6ee4cf9 100644
--- a/assets/data/default_hotkeys.config
+++ b/assets/data/default_hotkeys.config
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ Ctrl-Shift-Alt-R             reset_layout
 Ctrl-C                       copy_image
 Ctrl-Shift-C                 copy_path
 
+# Library
+Ctrl-F                       focus_search
+
 # Debug
 Ctrl-Shift-D                 toggle_debug_panel
 Ctrl-Shift-L                 toggle_logger_panel
diff --git a/assets/data/default_hotkeys_macos.config b/assets/data/default_hotkeys_macos.config
index 6823966..7d6c9a6 100644
--- a/assets/data/default_hotkeys_macos.config
+++ b/assets/data/default_hotkeys_macos.config
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ Cmd-Shift-Opt-R              reset_layout
 Cmd-C                        copy_image
 Cmd-Shift-C                  copy_path
 
+# Library
+Cmd-F                        focus_search
+
 # Debug
 Cmd-Shift-D                  toggle_debug_panel
 Cmd-Shift-L                  toggle_logger_panel
diff --git a/check_targets.jai b/check_targets.jai
index e616f22..e416c87 100644
--- a/check_targets.jai
+++ b/check_targets.jai
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ APP_NAME        :: "mcap";
 APP_FOLDER_NAME :: "mcap";
 GIT_BRANCH    :: "check";
 GIT_HASH      :: "-";
-VERSION       :: "0.1.17";
+VERSION       :: "0.1.18";
 BUILD_DATE    :: "-";
 DEBUG         :: true;
 COMPILE_TESTS :: true;
diff --git a/first.jai b/first.jai
index bc74161..121cbb9 100644
--- a/first.jai
+++ b/first.jai
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ APP_NAME              :: "mcap";
 APP_FOLDER_NAME       :: "mcap";
 APP_BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER :: "com.example.mcap";
 
-VERSION :: "0.1.17";
+VERSION :: "0.1.18";
 // Where everything goes: bin/, or bin-headless/ for builds made with no_crash_dialog, so automated
 // builds never write over the ones you run by hand.
 build_directory := "bin";
diff --git a/src/app/viewer.jai b/src/app/viewer.jai
index 42f01d4..44f518b 100644
--- a/src/app/viewer.jai
+++ b/src/app/viewer.jai
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ viewer: struct {
   visible_generation: s64;      // counts rebuilds of visible
   sorted_by_date: bool;
   search_buffer: [256] u8;
+  focus_search: bool;           // Ctrl-F (focus_search in [hotkeys]): the search box takes the keyboard next frame
   search_terms: [..] Search_Term;
   folders: [..] string;         // the library's folders holding captures, sorted; "" for its top
   folder_filter: string;        // the folder the grid shows; "" for all (heap)
@@ -1059,6 +1060,11 @@ viewer_ui :: () { using ImGui;
     return;
   }
 
+  if viewer.focus_search {
+    viewer.focus_search = false;
+    SetWindowFocus();   // SetKeyboardFocusHere alone leaves another window in front
+    SetKeyboardFocusHere();   // tabbing in: its text is selected, so typing replaces the query
+  }
   SetNextItemWidth(min(GetContentRegionAvail().x * 0.5, 520));
   if InputTextWithHint("##search", "Search text, titles, URLs, apps, notes, labels.  \"a phrase\"  ocr: title: url: app: note: label: like: folder: has:", viewer.search_buffer.data, viewer.search_buffer.count) {
     viewer_search_changed();
diff --git a/src/ui/imgui_keyboard.jai b/src/ui/imgui_keyboard.jai
index 4342718..b3fc40a 100644
--- a/src/ui/imgui_keyboard.jai
+++ b/src/ui/imgui_keyboard.jai
@@ -167,6 +167,9 @@ reset_layout_hotkey:       Hotkey;
 copy_image_hotkey: Hotkey = .{ignore_when_text_field_active = true};
 copy_path_hotkey:  Hotkey = .{ignore_when_text_field_active = true};
 
+// The search box (app/viewer.jai). Also while typing elsewhere, as in the Import window's fields.
+focus_search_hotkey: Hotkey;
+
 Hotkey_Action :: struct {
   name: string;   // as written in [hotkeys]
   hotkey: *Hotkey;
@@ -189,6 +192,7 @@ hotkey_actions_build :: (out: *[..] Hotkey_Action) {
   add(out, "reset_layout",        *reset_layout_hotkey);
   add(out, "copy_image",          *copy_image_hotkey);
   add(out, "copy_path",           *copy_path_hotkey);
+  add(out, "focus_search",        *focus_search_hotkey);
 }
 
 hotkey_actions: [..] Hotkey_Action;
@@ -637,6 +641,7 @@ app_check_key_combinations :: () {
   // The viewer is the shutdown thread's once shutdown has started. View mode has the file alone (app/open_file.jai).
   if check_key_combination(*copy_image_hotkey) && !app_exit_shutdown_started() { if app.view_mode  open_file_copy_image(); else viewer_copy_image(); }
   if check_key_combination(*copy_path_hotkey)  && !app_exit_shutdown_started() { if app.view_mode  open_file_copy_path();  else viewer_copy_path(); }
+  if check_key_combination(*focus_search_hotkey) && !app_exit_shutdown_started() && !app.view_mode  viewer.focus_search = true;   // view mode has no search
 
   if should_exit_this_frame {
     log("Calling exit hotkey... exiting program!");