diff --git a/src/components/Sidebar.tsx b/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
index c6ebfdf50..d1ec64ccf 100644
--- a/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Sidebar.tsx
@@ -83,10 +83,19 @@ export function Sidebar({
       }
     };
 
+    // listen for ESC key and close the sidebar
+    const handleEscape = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
+      if (event.key === 'Escape') {
+        closeSidebar();
+      }
+    };
+
     document.addEventListener('mousedown', handleClickOutside);
+    document.addEventListener('keydown', handleEscape);
 
     return () => {
       document.removeEventListener('mousedown', handleClickOutside);
+      document.removeEventListener('keydown', handleEscape);
     };
   }, [sidebarRef]);
 
@@ -129,6 +138,24 @@ export function Sidebar({
     [courseId, findPathToContent, fullCourseContent],
   );
 
+  const activeItemRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | HTMLAnchorElement | null>(null);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (sidebarOpen && activeItemRef.current) {
+      activeItemRef.current.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'center' });
+      // focus on the active item
+      if (activeItemRef.current instanceof HTMLAnchorElement) {
+        activeItemRef.current.focus();
+      } else if (activeItemRef.current instanceof HTMLDivElement) {
+        // check for the first focusable element and focus on it
+        const firstFocusableElement = activeItemRef.current.querySelector('button, a');
+        if (firstFocusableElement) {
+          (firstFocusableElement as HTMLButtonElement | HTMLAnchorElement).focus();
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }, [sidebarOpen]);
+
   const renderContent = useCallback(
     (contents: FullCourseContent[]) => {
       return contents.map((content) => {
@@ -140,6 +167,7 @@ export function Sidebar({
               key={content.id}
               value={`item-${content.id}`}
               className={`rounded-md border-none ${isActiveContent ? 'bg-primary/5' : ''}`}
+              ref={isActiveContent ? (activeItemRef as React.RefObject<HTMLDivElement>) : null}
             >
               <AccordionTrigger className="rounded-md px-4 text-lg font-medium capitalize">
                 {content.title}
@@ -156,6 +184,7 @@ export function Sidebar({
             key={content.id}
             href={navigateToContent(content.id) || '#'}
             className={`flex w-full cursor-pointer items-center rounded-md p-4 tracking-tight hover:bg-primary/10 ${isActiveContent ? 'bg-primary/10' : ''}`}
+            ref={isActiveContent ? (activeItemRef as React.RefObject<HTMLAnchorElement>) : null}
           >
             <div className="flex w-full items-center justify-between gap-2">
               <div className="flex items-center gap-2">
@@ -217,7 +246,7 @@ export function Sidebar({
                 <X className="size-5" />
               </Button>
             </div>
-            <Accordion type="multiple" className="w-full px-4 capitalize">
+            <Accordion type="multiple" defaultValue={currentActiveContentIds.map(num => `item-${num}`)} className="w-full px-4 capitalize">
               {memoizedContent}
             </Accordion>
           </motion.div>