diff --git a/client/src/components/Chat/Header.tsx b/client/src/components/Chat/Header.tsx
index 4f491f4b05..0390eb428d 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Chat/Header.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/Chat/Header.tsx
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ export default function Header() {
   return (
     <div className="sticky top-0 z-10 flex h-14 w-full items-center justify-between bg-white p-2 font-semibold text-text-primary dark:bg-gray-800">
       <div className="hide-scrollbar flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-2 overflow-x-auto">
-        <div className="mx-2 flex items-center gap-2">
+        <div className="mx-1 flex items-center gap-2">
           {!navVisible && <OpenSidebar setNavVisible={setNavVisible} />}
           {!navVisible && <HeaderNewChat />}
           {<ModelSelector startupConfig={startupConfig} />}
diff --git a/client/src/components/Chat/Input/ChatForm.tsx b/client/src/components/Chat/Input/ChatForm.tsx
index 3e4e4f6983..7ac983099f 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Chat/Input/ChatForm.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/Chat/Input/ChatForm.tsx
@@ -151,12 +151,6 @@ const ChatForm = memo(({ index = 0 }: { index?: number }) => {
 
   const textValue = useWatch({ control: methods.control, name: 'text' });
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (!search.isSearching && textAreaRef.current && !disableInputs) {
-      textAreaRef.current.focus();
-    }
-  }, [search.isSearching, disableInputs]);
-
   useEffect(() => {
     if (textAreaRef.current) {
       const style = window.getComputedStyle(textAreaRef.current);
diff --git a/client/src/components/Conversations/Conversations.tsx b/client/src/components/Conversations/Conversations.tsx
index eea39eaed6..a0bf03e49d 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Conversations/Conversations.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/Conversations/Conversations.tsx
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@ const Conversations: FC<ConversationsProps> = ({
                 role="list"
                 aria-label="Conversations"
                 onRowsRendered={handleRowsRendered}
+                tabIndex={-1}
               />
             )}
           </AutoSizer>
diff --git a/client/src/components/Nav/SearchBar.tsx b/client/src/components/Nav/SearchBar.tsx
index 9e21b52663..9fc271577a 100644
--- a/client/src/components/Nav/SearchBar.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/Nav/SearchBar.tsx
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
-import { forwardRef, useState, useCallback, useMemo, useEffect, Ref } from 'react';
+import React, { forwardRef, useState, useCallback, useMemo, useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
 import debounce from 'lodash/debounce';
+import { useRecoilState } from 'recoil';
 import { Search, X } from 'lucide-react';
-import { useSetRecoilState, useRecoilValue } from 'recoil';
 import { QueryKeys } from 'librechat-data-provider';
 import { useQueryClient } from '@tanstack/react-query';
 import { useLocation, useNavigate } from 'react-router-dom';
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ type SearchBarProps = {
   isSmallScreen?: boolean;
 };
 
-const SearchBar = forwardRef((props: SearchBarProps, ref: Ref<HTMLDivElement>) => {
+const SearchBar = forwardRef((props: SearchBarProps, ref: React.Ref<HTMLDivElement>) => {
   const localize = useLocalize();
   const location = useLocation();
   const queryClient = useQueryClient();
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@ const SearchBar = forwardRef((props: SearchBarProps, ref: Ref<HTMLDivElement>) =
   const { isSmallScreen } = props;
 
   const [text, setText] = useState('');
+  const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
   const [showClearIcon, setShowClearIcon] = useState(false);
 
   const { newConversation } = useNewConvo();
-  const setSearchState = useSetRecoilState(store.search);
-  const search = useRecoilValue(store.search);
+  const [search, setSearchState] = useRecoilState(store.search);
 
   const clearSearch = useCallback(() => {
     if (location.pathname.includes('/search')) {
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ const SearchBar = forwardRef((props: SearchBarProps, ref: Ref<HTMLDivElement>) =
       isTyping: false,
     }));
     clearSearch();
+    inputRef.current?.focus();
   }, [setSearchState, clearSearch]);
 
   const handleKeyUp = (e: React.KeyboardEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
@@ -108,6 +109,7 @@ const SearchBar = forwardRef((props: SearchBarProps, ref: Ref<HTMLDivElement>) =
       <Search className="absolute left-3 h-4 w-4 text-text-secondary group-focus-within:text-text-primary group-hover:text-text-primary" />
       <input
         type="text"
+        ref={inputRef}
         className="m-0 mr-0 w-full border-none bg-transparent p-0 pl-7 text-sm leading-tight placeholder-text-secondary placeholder-opacity-100 focus-visible:outline-none group-focus-within:placeholder-text-primary group-hover:placeholder-text-primary"
         value={text}
         onChange={onChange}
@@ -122,14 +124,20 @@ const SearchBar = forwardRef((props: SearchBarProps, ref: Ref<HTMLDivElement>) =
         autoComplete="off"
         dir="auto"
       />
-      <X
+      <button
+        type="button"
+        aria-label={`${localize('com_ui_clear')} ${localize('com_ui_search')}`}
         className={cn(
-          'absolute right-[7px] h-5 w-5 cursor-pointer transition-opacity duration-200',
+          'absolute right-[7px] flex h-5 w-5 items-center justify-center rounded-full border-none bg-transparent p-0 transition-opacity duration-200',
           showClearIcon ? 'opacity-100' : 'opacity-0',
           isSmallScreen === true ? 'right-[16px]' : '',
         )}
         onClick={clearText}
-      />
+        tabIndex={showClearIcon ? 0 : -1}
+        disabled={!showClearIcon}
+      >
+        <X className="h-5 w-5 cursor-pointer" />
+      </button>
     </div>
   );
 });