diff --git a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/Admin.tsx b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/Admin.tsx
index efe1090a..7697346a 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/Admin.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/Admin.tsx
@@ -10,9 +10,14 @@ import { keys } from '@/api/queryKeys'
 import { useQuery } from '@tanstack/react-query'
 import { useParams } from 'wouter'
 import { usePublishSourcesManager } from '@/features/rooms/livekit/hooks/usePublishSourcesManager'
+import { useSidePanel } from '../hooks/useSidePanel'
+import { useRestoreFocus } from '@/hooks/useRestoreFocus'
+import { useSidePanelRef } from '../hooks/useSidePanelRef'
 
 export const Admin = () => {
   const { t } = useTranslation('rooms', { keyPrefix: 'admin' })
+  const { isAdminOpen } = useSidePanel()
+  const panelRef = useSidePanelRef()
 
   const { roomId } = useParams()
 
@@ -38,6 +43,34 @@ export const Admin = () => {
     isScreenShareEnabled,
   } = usePublishSourcesManager()
 
+  // Restore focus to the element that opened the Admin panel
+  useRestoreFocus(isAdminOpen, {
+    resolveTrigger: (activeEl) => {
+      // Find the Admin toggle button - it doesn't have a data-attr, so we'll search by aria-label
+      const adminButton = Array.from(
+        document.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('button')
+      ).find((btn) => btn.getAttribute('aria-label')?.includes('admin'))
+      return adminButton || activeEl
+    },
+    // Focus the first focusable element when the panel opens (first Field switch)
+    onOpened: () => {
+      requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+        const panel = panelRef.current
+        if (panel) {
+          // Find the first switch in the moderation section
+          const firstSwitch = panel.querySelector<HTMLElement>(
+            '[role="switch"]:first-of-type'
+          )
+          if (firstSwitch) {
+            firstSwitch.focus({ preventScroll: true })
+          }
+        }
+      })
+    },
+    restoreFocusRaf: true,
+    preventScroll: true,
+  })
+
   return (
     <Div
       display="flex"
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/Info.tsx b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/Info.tsx
index afab80e0..7b63ce8d 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/Info.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/Info.tsx
@@ -9,9 +9,14 @@ import { useRoomData } from '../hooks/useRoomData'
 import { formatPinCode } from '../../utils/telephony'
 import { useTelephony } from '../hooks/useTelephony'
 import { useCopyRoomToClipboard } from '../hooks/useCopyRoomToClipboard'
+import { useSidePanel } from '../hooks/useSidePanel'
+import { useRestoreFocus } from '@/hooks/useRestoreFocus'
+import { useSidePanelRef } from '../hooks/useSidePanelRef'
 
 export const Info = () => {
   const { t } = useTranslation('rooms', { keyPrefix: 'info' })
+  const { isInfoOpen } = useSidePanel()
+  const panelRef = useSidePanelRef()
 
   const data = useRoomData()
   const roomUrl = getRouteUrl('room', data?.slug)
@@ -24,6 +29,30 @@ export const Info = () => {
 
   const { isCopied, copyRoomToClipboard } = useCopyRoomToClipboard(data)
 
+  // Restore focus to the element that opened the Info panel
+  useRestoreFocus(isInfoOpen, {
+    resolveTrigger: () => {
+      // Find the Info toggle button
+      return document.querySelector<HTMLElement>('[data-attr*="controls-info"]')
+    },
+    // Focus the first focusable element when the panel opens
+    onOpened: () => {
+      requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+        const panel = panelRef.current
+        if (panel) {
+          const firstButton = panel.querySelector<HTMLElement>(
+            '[data-attr="copy-info-sidepannel"]'
+          )
+          if (firstButton) {
+            firstButton.focus({ preventScroll: true })
+          }
+        }
+      })
+    },
+    restoreFocusRaf: true,
+    preventScroll: true,
+  })
+
   return (
     <Div
       display="flex"
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/SidePanel.tsx b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/SidePanel.tsx
index 4f08eb83..5f40871b 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/SidePanel.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/SidePanel.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ import { Effects } from './effects/Effects'
 import { Admin } from './Admin'
 import { Tools } from './Tools'
 import { Info } from './Info'
+import { SidePanelProvider } from '../contexts/SidePanelContext'
+import { useSidePanelRef } from '../hooks/useSidePanelRef'
 import { HStack } from '@/styled-system/jsx'
 
 type StyledSidePanelProps = {
@@ -24,6 +26,7 @@ type StyledSidePanelProps = {
   closeButtonTooltip: string
   isSubmenu: boolean
   onBack: () => void
+  panelRef: React.RefObject<HTMLElement>
   backButtonLabel: string
 }
 
@@ -36,9 +39,11 @@ const StyledSidePanel = ({
   closeButtonTooltip,
   isSubmenu = false,
   onBack,
+  panelRef,
   backButtonLabel,
 }: StyledSidePanelProps) => (
   <aside
+    ref={panelRef}
     className={css({
       borderWidth: '1px',
       borderStyle: 'solid',
@@ -135,7 +140,7 @@ const Panel = ({ isOpen, keepAlive = false, children }: PanelProps) => (
     {keepAlive || isOpen ? children : null}
   </div>
 )
-export const SidePanel = () => {
+const SidePanelContent = () => {
   const {
     activePanelId,
     isParticipantsOpen,
@@ -149,6 +154,7 @@ export const SidePanel = () => {
     activeSubPanelId,
   } = useSidePanel()
   const { t } = useTranslation('rooms', { keyPrefix: 'sidePanel' })
+  const panelRef = useSidePanelRef()
 
   return (
     <StyledSidePanel
@@ -165,8 +171,9 @@ export const SidePanel = () => {
       isSubmenu={isSubPanelOpen}
       backButtonLabel={t('backToTools')}
       onBack={() => (layoutStore.activeSubPanelId = null)}
+      panelRef={panelRef}
     >
-      <Panel isOpen={isParticipantsOpen}>
+      <Panel isOpen={isParticipantsOpen} keepAlive={true}>
         <ParticipantsList />
       </Panel>
       <Panel isOpen={isEffectsOpen} keepAlive={true}>
@@ -178,12 +185,20 @@ export const SidePanel = () => {
       <Panel isOpen={isToolsOpen} keepAlive={true}>
         <Tools />
       </Panel>
-      <Panel isOpen={isAdminOpen}>
+      <Panel isOpen={isAdminOpen} keepAlive={true}>
         <Admin />
       </Panel>
-      <Panel isOpen={isInfoOpen}>
+      <Panel isOpen={isInfoOpen} keepAlive={true}>
         <Info />
       </Panel>
     </StyledSidePanel>
   )
 }
+
+export const SidePanel = () => {
+  return (
+    <SidePanelProvider>
+      <SidePanelContent />
+    </SidePanelProvider>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/Tools.tsx b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/Tools.tsx
index d28d899b..c048de08 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/Tools.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/Tools.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { useTranslation } from 'react-i18next'
 import { ReactNode } from 'react'
 import { SubPanelId, useSidePanel } from '../hooks/useSidePanel'
 import { useRestoreFocus } from '@/hooks/useRestoreFocus'
+import { useSidePanelRef } from '../hooks/useSidePanelRef'
 import {
   useIsRecordingModeEnabled,
   RecordingMode,
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ export const Tools = () => {
   const { openTranscript, openScreenRecording, activeSubPanelId, isToolsOpen } =
     useSidePanel()
   const { t } = useTranslation('rooms', { keyPrefix: 'moreTools' })
+  const panelRef = useSidePanelRef()
 
   // Restore focus to the element that opened the Tools panel
   // following the same pattern as Chat.
@@ -111,6 +113,26 @@ export const Tools = () => {
       // For direct button clicks (e.g. "Plus d'outils"), use the active element as is
       return activeEl
     },
+    // Focus the first focusable element when the panel opens
+    onOpened: () => {
+      requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+        const panel = panelRef.current
+        if (panel) {
+          // Find the first ToolButton in the tools list (transcript or screen recording button)
+          const toolsList = panel.querySelector<HTMLElement>(
+            '[data-attr="tools-list"]'
+          )
+          if (toolsList) {
+            const firstToolButton = toolsList.querySelector<HTMLElement>(
+              'button:first-of-type'
+            )
+            if (firstToolButton) {
+              firstToolButton.focus({ preventScroll: true })
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      })
+    },
     restoreFocusRaf: true,
     preventScroll: true,
   })
@@ -141,6 +163,7 @@ export const Tools = () => {
       flexDirection="column"
       alignItems="start"
       gap={0.5}
+      data-attr="tools-list"
     >
       <Text
         variant="note"
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/controls/Participants/ParticipantsList.tsx b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/controls/Participants/ParticipantsList.tsx
index d9d727d7..1ab637d3 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/controls/Participants/ParticipantsList.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/controls/Participants/ParticipantsList.tsx
@@ -12,10 +12,15 @@ import { useWaitingParticipants } from '@/features/rooms/hooks/useWaitingPartici
 import { Participant } from 'livekit-client'
 import { WaitingParticipant } from '@/features/rooms/api/listWaitingParticipants'
 import { MuteEveryoneButton } from './MuteEveryoneButton'
+import { useSidePanel } from '../../../hooks/useSidePanel'
+import { useRestoreFocus } from '@/hooks/useRestoreFocus'
+import { useSidePanelRef } from '../../../hooks/useSidePanelRef'
 
 // TODO: Optimize rendering performance, especially for longer participant lists, even though they are generally short.
 export const ParticipantsList = () => {
   const { t } = useTranslation('rooms', { keyPrefix: 'participants' })
+  const { isParticipantsOpen } = useSidePanel()
+  const panelRef = useSidePanelRef()
 
   // Preferred using the 'useParticipants' hook rather than the separate remote and local hooks,
   // because the 'useLocalParticipant' hook does not update the participant's information when their
@@ -48,6 +53,38 @@ export const ParticipantsList = () => {
   const { waitingParticipants, handleParticipantEntry } =
     useWaitingParticipants()
 
+  // Restore focus to the element that opened the Participants panel
+  useRestoreFocus(isParticipantsOpen, {
+    resolveTrigger: (activeEl) => {
+      // Find the Participants toggle button
+      return (
+        document.querySelector<HTMLElement>(
+          '[data-attr*="controls-participants"]'
+        ) || activeEl
+      )
+    },
+    // Focus the first focusable element when the panel opens
+    onOpened: () => {
+      // Use setTimeout + RAF to ensure DOM is fully rendered and transition completed
+      setTimeout(() => {
+        requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+          const panel = panelRef.current
+          if (panel) {
+            // Find the first ToggleHeader (collapsable list header) in the participants panel
+            // Look for buttons with aria-label containing "liste" (list headers)
+            // Exclude close/back buttons
+            const firstListHeader = panel.querySelector<HTMLElement>(
+              'button[aria-label*="liste"]:not([aria-label*="Masquer les participants"])'
+            )
+            firstListHeader?.focus({ preventScroll: true })
+          }
+        })
+      }, 100) // Wait for panel slide-in animation to complete
+    },
+    restoreFocusRaf: true,
+    preventScroll: true,
+  })
+
   // TODO - extract inline styling in a centralized styling file, and avoid magic numbers
   return (
     <Div overflowY="scroll">
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/effects/Effects.tsx b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/effects/Effects.tsx
index c6989520..cfa9eaea 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/effects/Effects.tsx
+++ b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/components/effects/Effects.tsx
@@ -7,12 +7,14 @@ import { useCanPublishTrack } from '@/features/rooms/livekit/hooks/useCanPublish
 import { TrackSource } from '@livekit/protocol'
 import { useSidePanel } from '../../hooks/useSidePanel'
 import { useRestoreFocus } from '@/hooks/useRestoreFocus'
+import { useSidePanelRef } from '../../hooks/useSidePanelRef'
 
 export const Effects = () => {
   const { cameraTrack } = useLocalParticipant()
   const localCameraTrack = cameraTrack?.track as LocalVideoTrack
   const { saveProcessorSerialized } = usePersistentUserChoices()
   const { isEffectsOpen } = useSidePanel()
+  const panelRef = useSidePanelRef()
 
   const canPublishCamera = useCanPublishTrack(TrackSource.CAMERA)
 
@@ -27,12 +29,15 @@ export const Effects = () => {
     // Focus the first focusable element when the panel opens
     onOpened: () => {
       requestAnimationFrame(() => {
-        // Find the first toggle button (blur light button)
-        const firstButton = document.querySelector<HTMLElement>(
-          '[data-attr="toggle-blur-light"]'
-        )
-        if (firstButton) {
-          firstButton.focus({ preventScroll: true })
+        const panel = panelRef.current
+        if (panel) {
+          // Find the first toggle button (blur light button)
+          const firstButton = panel.querySelector<HTMLElement>(
+            '[data-attr="toggle-blur-light"]'
+          )
+          if (firstButton) {
+            firstButton.focus({ preventScroll: true })
+          }
         }
       })
     },
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/contexts/SidePanelContext.tsx b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/contexts/SidePanelContext.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1d39f778
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/contexts/SidePanelContext.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+import { useRef, ReactNode } from 'react'
+import { SidePanelContext } from './sidePanelContextValue'
+
+export const SidePanelProvider = ({ children }: { children: ReactNode }) => {
+  const panelRef = useRef<HTMLElement>(null)
+
+  return (
+    <SidePanelContext.Provider value={{ panelRef }}>
+      {children}
+    </SidePanelContext.Provider>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/contexts/sidePanelContextValue.ts b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/contexts/sidePanelContextValue.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..15b87ec0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/contexts/sidePanelContextValue.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+import { createContext } from 'react'
+
+export type SidePanelContextValue = {
+  panelRef: React.RefObject<HTMLElement>
+}
+
+export const SidePanelContext = createContext<SidePanelContextValue | null>(
+  null
+)
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/hooks/useSidePanelRef.ts b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/hooks/useSidePanelRef.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cbdcab5d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/hooks/useSidePanelRef.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+import { useContext } from 'react'
+import { SidePanelContext } from '../contexts/sidePanelContextValue'
+
+export const useSidePanelRef = () => {
+  const context = useContext(SidePanelContext)
+  if (!context) {
+    throw new Error('useSidePanelRef must be used within SidePanelProvider')
+  }
+  return context.panelRef
+}