diff --git a/lib/config/options/index.ts b/lib/config/options/index.ts
index 345d43e70f10c0..094e9f52a33c55 100644
--- a/lib/config/options/index.ts
+++ b/lib/config/options/index.ts
@@ -999,7 +999,7 @@ const options: RenovateOptions[] = [
     description: 'Set to `true` to automatically approve PRs.',
     type: 'boolean',
     default: false,
-    supportedPlatforms: ['azure'],
+    supportedPlatforms: ['azure', 'gitlab'],
   },
   // depType
   {
diff --git a/lib/modules/platform/gitlab/index.spec.ts b/lib/modules/platform/gitlab/index.spec.ts
index 55d72e2778dc0e..03157d7b30ed08 100644
--- a/lib/modules/platform/gitlab/index.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/modules/platform/gitlab/index.spec.ts
@@ -2054,6 +2054,64 @@ describe('modules/platform/gitlab/index', () => {
         }
       `);
     });
+
+    it('auto-approves when enabled', async () => {
+      await initPlatform('13.3.6-ee');
+      httpMock
+        .scope(gitlabApiHost)
+        .post('/api/v4/projects/undefined/merge_requests')
+        .reply(200, {
+          id: 1,
+          iid: 12345,
+          title: 'some title',
+        })
+        .post('/api/v4/projects/undefined/merge_requests/12345/approve')
+        .reply(200);
+      expect(
+        await gitlab.createPr({
+          sourceBranch: 'some-branch',
+          targetBranch: 'master',
+          prTitle: 'some-title',
+          prBody: 'the-body',
+          labels: [],
+          platformOptions: {
+            autoApprove: true,
+          },
+        })
+      ).toStrictEqual({
+        id: 1,
+        iid: 12345,
+        number: 12345,
+        sourceBranch: 'some-branch',
+        title: 'some title',
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should swallow an error on auto-approve', async () => {
+      await initPlatform('13.3.6-ee');
+      httpMock
+        .scope(gitlabApiHost)
+        .post('/api/v4/projects/undefined/merge_requests')
+        .reply(200, {
+          id: 1,
+          iid: 12345,
+          title: 'some title',
+        })
+        .post('/api/v4/projects/undefined/merge_requests/12345/approve')
+        .replyWithError('some error');
+      await expect(
+        gitlab.createPr({
+          sourceBranch: 'some-branch',
+          targetBranch: 'master',
+          prTitle: 'some-title',
+          prBody: 'the-body',
+          labels: [],
+          platformOptions: {
+            autoApprove: true,
+          },
+        })
+      ).toResolve();
+    });
   });
 
   describe('getPr(prNo)', () => {
@@ -2316,6 +2374,37 @@ describe('modules/platform/gitlab/index', () => {
       ).toResolve();
     });
 
+    it('auto-approves when enabled', async () => {
+      await initPlatform('13.3.6-ee');
+      httpMock
+        .scope(gitlabApiHost)
+        .get(
+          '/api/v4/projects/undefined/merge_requests?per_page=100&scope=created_by_me'
+        )
+        .reply(200, [
+          {
+            iid: 1,
+            source_branch: 'branch-a',
+            title: 'branch a pr',
+            state: 'open',
+          },
+        ])
+        .put('/api/v4/projects/undefined/merge_requests/1')
+        .reply(200)
+        .post('/api/v4/projects/undefined/merge_requests/1/approve')
+        .reply(200);
+      await expect(
+        gitlab.updatePr({
+          number: 1,
+          prTitle: 'title',
+          prBody: 'body',
+          platformOptions: {
+            autoApprove: true,
+          },
+        })
+      ).toResolve();
+    });
+
     it('closes the PR', async () => {
       await initPlatform('13.3.6-ee');
       httpMock
diff --git a/lib/modules/platform/gitlab/index.ts b/lib/modules/platform/gitlab/index.ts
index 866b5d0f61ec75..58614913f7f814 100644
--- a/lib/modules/platform/gitlab/index.ts
+++ b/lib/modules/platform/gitlab/index.ts
@@ -637,6 +637,16 @@ async function tryPrAutomerge(
   }
 }
 
+async function approvePr(pr: number): Promise<void> {
+  try {
+    await gitlabApi.postJson(
+      `projects/${config.repository}/merge_requests/${pr}/approve`
+    );
+  } catch (err) {
+    logger.warn({ err }, 'GitLab: Error approving merge request');
+  }
+}
+
 export async function createPr({
   sourceBranch,
   targetBranch,
@@ -674,6 +684,10 @@ export async function createPr({
     config.prList.push(pr);
   }
 
+  if (platformOptions?.autoApprove) {
+    await approvePr(pr.iid);
+  }
+
   await tryPrAutomerge(pr.iid, platformOptions);
 
   return massagePr(pr);
@@ -733,6 +747,10 @@ export async function updatePr({
     { body }
   );
 
+  if (platformOptions?.autoApprove) {
+    await approvePr(iid);
+  }
+
   await tryPrAutomerge(iid, platformOptions);
 }