diff --git a/src/react-multi-email/ReactMultiEmail.tsx b/src/react-multi-email/ReactMultiEmail.tsx
index b28ed60..7f828a1 100644
--- a/src/react-multi-email/ReactMultiEmail.tsx
+++ b/src/react-multi-email/ReactMultiEmail.tsx
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ export interface IReactMultiEmailProps {
   ) => void;
   className?: string;
   placeholder?: string | React.ReactNode;
+  autoFocus?: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface IReactMultiEmailState {
@@ -63,6 +64,7 @@ class ReactMultiEmail extends React.Component<
   constructor(props: IReactMultiEmailProps) {
     super(props);
 
+    props.autoFocus && (this.state.focused = props.autoFocus);
     this.emailInputRef = React.createRef();
   }
 
@@ -313,6 +315,7 @@ class ReactMultiEmail extends React.Component<
           onChange={this.handleOnChange}
           onKeyDown={this.handleOnKeydown}
           onKeyUp={this.handleOnKeyup}
+          autoFocus={this.props.autoFocus}
         />
         <ul className={`result_list ${
           inputValue === '' ? 'empty' : ''}`} style={style}>
diff --git a/src/samples/Basic.tsx b/src/samples/Basic.tsx
index c99b23f..a8074a9 100644
--- a/src/samples/Basic.tsx
+++ b/src/samples/Basic.tsx
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ class Basic extends React.Component<IProps, IState> {
             onChange={(_emails: string[]) => {
               this.setState({ emails: _emails });
             }}
+            autoFocus={true}
             onFocus={() => this.setState({ focused: true })}
             onBlur={() => this.setState({ focused: false })}
             getLabel={(