diff --git a/eslint.config.ts b/eslint.config.ts
index 28508c52a6..53edfc364d 100644
--- a/eslint.config.ts
+++ b/eslint.config.ts
@@ -961,6 +961,7 @@ export default defineConfig([
       'vitest/no-interpolation-in-snapshots': [0],
       'vitest/no-large-snapshots': [0],
       'vitest/no-mocks-import': [0],
+      'vitest/no-importing-vitest-globals': [2],
       'vitest/no-restricted-matchers': [0],
       'vitest/no-restricted-vi-methods': [0],
       'vitest/no-standalone-expect': [0],
diff --git a/templates/devtest/keyboard-shortcut.tmpl b/templates/devtest/keyboard-shortcut.tmpl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4b55c0a1e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/devtest/keyboard-shortcut.tmpl
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+{{template "devtest/devtest-header"}}
+<div class="page-content devtest ui container">
+	<h1>Keyboard Shortcut</h1>
+
+	<div>
+		<div class="ui input global-shortcut-wrapper">
+			<input class="ui input" placeholder="Press S to focus">
+			<kbd data-global-init="onGlobalShortcut" data-shortcut-keys="s">S</kbd>
+		</div>
+	</div>
+
+	<div class="tw-mt-2">
+		<div class="ui action input">
+			<div class="ui input global-shortcut-wrapper">
+				<input class="ui input" placeholder="Press T to focus">
+				<kbd data-global-init="onGlobalShortcut" data-shortcut-keys="t">T</kbd>
+			</div>
+			<button class="ui button">Go</button>
+		</div>
+	</div>
+</div>
+
+{{template "devtest/devtest-footer"}}
diff --git a/templates/repo/home_sidebar_top.tmpl b/templates/repo/home_sidebar_top.tmpl
index edbf01db09..1560e054d8 100644
--- a/templates/repo/home_sidebar_top.tmpl
+++ b/templates/repo/home_sidebar_top.tmpl
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 <div class="repo-home-sidebar-top">
-	<form class="ignore-dirty tw-flex tw-flex-1" action="{{.RepoLink}}/search" method="get">
-		<div class="ui small action input tw-flex-1">
-			<input name="q" size="10" placeholder="{{ctx.Locale.Tr "search.code_kind"}}"> {{template "shared/search/button"}}
+	<form class="ignore-dirty tw-flex" action="{{.RepoLink}}/search" method="get">
+		<div class="ui small action input tw-flex tw-flex-1">
+			<div class="ui input tw-flex tw-flex-1 global-shortcut-wrapper">
+				<input name="q" size="10" placeholder="{{ctx.Locale.Tr "search.code_kind"}}">
+				<kbd data-global-init="onGlobalShortcut" data-shortcut-keys="s">S</kbd>
+			</div>
+			{{template "shared/search/button"}}
 		</div>
 	</form>
 
diff --git a/web_src/css/index.css b/web_src/css/index.css
index c09d309149..c02651d520 100644
--- a/web_src/css/index.css
+++ b/web_src/css/index.css
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 @import "./modules/modal.css";
 @import "./modules/tab.css";
 @import "./modules/form.css";
+@import "./modules/shortcut.css";
 
 @import "./modules/tippy.css";
 @import "./modules/breadcrumb.css";
diff --git a/web_src/css/modules/input.css b/web_src/css/modules/input.css
index d39377b4e1..abf2d21492 100644
--- a/web_src/css/modules/input.css
+++ b/web_src/css/modules/input.css
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@
   margin: 0;
 }
 
-.ui.action.input:not([class*="left action"]) > input {
+.ui.action.input:not([class*="left action"]) > input,
+.ui.action.input:not([class*="left action"]) > .ui.input > input {
   border-top-right-radius: 0;
   border-bottom-right-radius: 0;
   border-right-color: transparent;
diff --git a/web_src/css/modules/shortcut.css b/web_src/css/modules/shortcut.css
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f8e62b8de5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web_src/css/modules/shortcut.css
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+.global-shortcut-wrapper {
+  position: relative;
+}
+
+.global-shortcut-wrapper > kbd {
+  position: absolute;
+  right: 6px;
+  top: 50%;
+  transform: translateY(-50%);
+  display: inline-block;
+  padding: 2px 6px;
+  font-size: 11px;
+  line-height: 14px;
+  color: var(--color-text-light-2);
+  background-color: var(--color-box-body);
+  border: 1px solid var(--color-secondary);
+  border-radius: var(--border-radius);
+  box-shadow: inset 0 -1px 0 var(--color-secondary);
+  pointer-events: none;
+}
diff --git a/web_src/js/components/RepoFileSearch.vue b/web_src/js/components/RepoFileSearch.vue
index f0c63267bc..4b006c9cde 100644
--- a/web_src/js/components/RepoFileSearch.vue
+++ b/web_src/js/components/RepoFileSearch.vue
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ const handleKeyDown = (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
   if (e.isComposing) return;
 
   if (e.key === 'Escape') {
-    e.preventDefault();
     clearSearch();
+    nextTick(() => refElemInput.value.blur());
     return;
   }
   if (!searchQuery.value || filteredFiles.value.length === 0) return;
@@ -145,12 +145,13 @@ watch([searchQuery, filteredFiles], async () => {
 
 <template>
   <div>
-    <div class="ui small input">
+    <div class="ui small input global-shortcut-wrapper">
       <input
         ref="searchInput" :placeholder="placeholder" autocomplete="off"
         role="combobox" aria-autocomplete="list" :aria-expanded="searchQuery ? 'true' : 'false'"
         @input="handleSearchInput" @keydown="handleKeyDown"
       >
+      <kbd data-global-init="onGlobalShortcut" data-shortcut-keys="t">T</kbd>
     </div>
 
     <Teleport to="body">
diff --git a/web_src/js/features/repo-settings-branches.test.ts b/web_src/js/features/repo-settings-branches.test.ts
index 210c4c6141..af3ab0438e 100644
--- a/web_src/js/features/repo-settings-branches.test.ts
+++ b/web_src/js/features/repo-settings-branches.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import {beforeEach, describe, expect, test, vi} from 'vitest';
 import {initRepoSettingsBranchesDrag} from './repo-settings-branches.ts';
 import {POST} from '../modules/fetch.ts';
 import {createSortable} from '../modules/sortable.ts';
diff --git a/web_src/js/index-domready.ts b/web_src/js/index-domready.ts
index 660e5c0989..187876df44 100644
--- a/web_src/js/index-domready.ts
+++ b/web_src/js/index-domready.ts
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ import {initGlobalButtonClickOnEnter, initGlobalButtons, initGlobalDeleteButton}
 import {initGlobalComboMarkdownEditor, initGlobalEnterQuickSubmit, initGlobalFormDirtyLeaveConfirm} from './features/common-form.ts';
 import {callInitFunctions} from './modules/init.ts';
 import {initRepoViewFileTree} from './features/repo-view-file-tree.ts';
+import {initGlobalShortcut} from './modules/shortcut.ts';
 
 const initStartTime = performance.now();
 const initPerformanceTracer = callInitFunctions([
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ const initPerformanceTracer = callInitFunctions([
   initGlobalComboMarkdownEditor,
   initGlobalDeleteButton,
   initGlobalInput,
+  initGlobalShortcut,
 
   initCommonOrganization,
   initCommonIssueListQuickGoto,
diff --git a/web_src/js/modules/shortcut.ts b/web_src/js/modules/shortcut.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..de155cab42
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web_src/js/modules/shortcut.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import {registerGlobalInitFunc} from './observer.ts';
+import {hideElem, toggleElem} from '../utils/dom.ts';
+
+function initShortcutKbd(kbd: HTMLElement) {
+  // Handle initial state: hide the kbd hint if the associated input already has a value
+  // (e.g., from browser autofill or back/forward navigation cache)
+  const elem = elemFromKbd(kbd);
+  if (elem?.value) hideElem(kbd);
+  kbd.setAttribute('aria-hidden', 'true');
+  kbd.setAttribute('aria-keyshortcuts', kbd.getAttribute('data-shortcut-keys')!);
+}
+
+function elemFromKbd(kbd: HTMLElement): HTMLInputElement | HTMLTextAreaElement | null {
+  return kbd.parentElement!.querySelector<HTMLInputElement>('input, textarea') || null;
+}
+
+function kbdFromElem(input: HTMLElement): HTMLElement | null {
+  return input.parentElement!.querySelector<HTMLElement>('kbd') || null;
+}
+
+export function initGlobalShortcut() {
+  registerGlobalInitFunc('onGlobalShortcut', initShortcutKbd);
+
+  // A <kbd> element next to an <input> declares a keyboard shortcut for that input.
+  // When the matching key is pressed, the sibling input is focused.
+  // When Escape is pressed inside such an input, the input is cleared and blurred.
+  // The <kbd> element is shown/hidden automatically based on input focus and value.
+  document.addEventListener('keydown', (e: KeyboardEvent) => {
+    // Modifier keys are not supported yet
+    if (e.ctrlKey || e.metaKey || e.altKey) return;
+
+    const target = e.target as HTMLElement;
+
+    // Handle Escape: clear and blur inputs that have an associated keyboard shortcut
+    if (e.key === 'Escape') {
+      const kbd = kbdFromElem(target);
+      if (kbd) {
+        (target as HTMLInputElement).value = '';
+        (target as HTMLInputElement).blur();
+      }
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Don't trigger shortcuts when typing in input fields or contenteditable areas
+    if (target.matches('input, textarea, select') || target.isContentEditable) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Find kbd element with matching shortcut (case-insensitive), then focus its sibling input
+    const key = e.key.toLowerCase();
+    // At the moment, only a simple match. In the future, it can be extended to support modifiers and key combinations
+    const kbd = document.querySelector<HTMLElement>(`.global-shortcut-wrapper > kbd[data-shortcut-keys="${CSS.escape(key)}"]`);
+    if (!kbd) return;
+    e.preventDefault();
+    elemFromKbd(kbd)!.focus();
+  });
+
+  // Toggle kbd shortcut hint visibility on input focus/blur
+  document.addEventListener('focusin', (e) => {
+    const kbd = kbdFromElem(e.target as HTMLElement);
+    if (!kbd) return;
+    hideElem(kbd);
+  });
+
+  document.addEventListener('focusout', (e) => {
+    const kbd = kbdFromElem(e.target as HTMLElement);
+    if (!kbd) return;
+    const hasContent = Boolean((e.target as HTMLInputElement).value);
+    toggleElem(kbd, !hasContent);
+  });
+}