diff --git a/playwright/snapshots/user-view/user-view.spec.ts/user-info-linux.png b/playwright/snapshots/user-view/user-view.spec.ts/user-info-linux.png
index a4f6a476f66..df1a991e9a4 100644
Binary files a/playwright/snapshots/user-view/user-view.spec.ts/user-info-linux.png and b/playwright/snapshots/user-view/user-view.spec.ts/user-info-linux.png differ
diff --git a/src/components/structures/RightPanel.tsx b/src/components/structures/RightPanel.tsx
index 94a5d34d60d..f05fd58d82d 100644
--- a/src/components/structures/RightPanel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/structures/RightPanel.tsx
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import { Action } from "../../dispatcher/actions";
 import { type XOR } from "../../@types/common";
 import ExtensionsCard from "../views/right_panel/ExtensionsCard";
 import MemberListView from "../views/rooms/MemberList/MemberListView";
+import { _t } from "../../languageHandler";
 
 interface BaseProps {
     overwriteCard?: IRightPanelCard; // used to display a custom card and ignoring the RightPanelStore (used for UserView)
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ interface IState {
 export default class RightPanel extends React.Component<Props, IState> {
     public static contextType = MatrixClientContext;
     declare public context: React.ContextType<typeof MatrixClientContext>;
+    private ref = React.createRef<HTMLDivElement>();
 
     public constructor(props: Props) {
         super(props);
@@ -82,6 +84,7 @@ export default class RightPanel extends React.Component<Props, IState> {
     public componentDidMount(): void {
         this.context.on(RoomStateEvent.Members, this.onRoomStateMember);
         RightPanelStore.instance.on(UPDATE_EVENT, this.onRightPanelStoreUpdate);
+        this.ref.current?.focus();
     }
 
     public componentWillUnmount(): void {
@@ -119,7 +122,13 @@ export default class RightPanel extends React.Component<Props, IState> {
     };
 
     private onRightPanelStoreUpdate = (): void => {
-        this.setState({ ...(RightPanel.getDerivedStateFromProps(this.props) as IState) });
+        const oldPhase = this.state.phase;
+        const newState = RightPanel.getDerivedStateFromProps(this.props) as IState;
+        this.setState({ ...newState });
+
+        if (oldPhase !== newState.phase) {
+            this.ref.current?.focus();
+        }
     };
 
     private onClose = (): void => {
@@ -282,7 +291,14 @@ export default class RightPanel extends React.Component<Props, IState> {
         }
 
         return (
-            <aside className="mx_RightPanel" id="mx_RightPanel" data-testid="right-panel">
+            <aside
+                aria-label={_t("right_panel|title")}
+                ref={this.ref}
+                className="mx_RightPanel"
+                id="mx_RightPanel"
+                data-testid="right-panel"
+                tabIndex={-1}
+            >
                 {card}
             </aside>
         );
diff --git a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
index 7b27b0bddfa..fbd3388b39a 100644
--- a/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
+++ b/src/i18n/strings/en_EN.json
@@ -1917,6 +1917,7 @@
         "thread_list": {
             "context_menu_label": "Thread options"
         },
+        "title": "Right panel",
         "video_room_chat": {
             "title": "Chat"
         }
diff --git a/test/unit-tests/components/structures/__snapshots__/RoomView-test.tsx.snap b/test/unit-tests/components/structures/__snapshots__/RoomView-test.tsx.snap
index d34321ba2ef..d43e5762b7b 100644
--- a/test/unit-tests/components/structures/__snapshots__/RoomView-test.tsx.snap
+++ b/test/unit-tests/components/structures/__snapshots__/RoomView-test.tsx.snap
@@ -2189,9 +2189,11 @@ exports[`RoomView video rooms should render joined video room view 1`] = `
         style="position: relative; user-select: auto; width: 420px; height: 100%; max-width: 50%; min-width: 320px; box-sizing: border-box; flex-shrink: 0;"
       >
         <aside
+          aria-label="Right panel"
           class="mx_RightPanel"
           data-testid="right-panel"
           id="mx_RightPanel"
+          tabindex="-1"
         >
           <div
             class="mx_BaseCard mx_ThreadPanel mx_TimelineCard"
diff --git a/test/unit-tests/components/views/elements/__snapshots__/AppTile-test.tsx.snap b/test/unit-tests/components/views/elements/__snapshots__/AppTile-test.tsx.snap
index 6986fe97705..f59626b757f 100644
--- a/test/unit-tests/components/views/elements/__snapshots__/AppTile-test.tsx.snap
+++ b/test/unit-tests/components/views/elements/__snapshots__/AppTile-test.tsx.snap
@@ -3,9 +3,11 @@
 exports[`AppTile destroys non-persisted right panel widget on room change 1`] = `
 <DocumentFragment>
   <aside
+    aria-label="Right panel"
     class="mx_RightPanel"
     data-testid="right-panel"
     id="mx_RightPanel"
+    tabindex="-1"
   >
     <div
       class="mx_BaseCard mx_WidgetCard"