diff --git a/.changeset/gentle-wolves-judge.md b/.changeset/gentle-wolves-judge.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c5b2506e5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/gentle-wolves-judge.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@astrojs/starlight': minor
+---
+
+Sidebar now persists its scroll position and expanded / contracted section state across page navigations. It also scrolls the active sidebar item into view if necessary.
diff --git a/packages/starlight/components/Sidebar.astro b/packages/starlight/components/Sidebar.astro
index c591674f3d..6a21059ba8 100644
--- a/packages/starlight/components/Sidebar.astro
+++ b/packages/starlight/components/Sidebar.astro
@@ -11,3 +11,90 @@ const { sidebar } = Astro.props;
 <div class="md:sl-hidden">
 	<MobileMenuFooter {...Astro.props} />
 </div>
+
+{
+	/* Persist sidebar state across page navigations,
+		 and scroll the active item into view if necessary.
+		 This is intentionally inlined to avoid FOUSC 
+		 (Flash Of Un-Scrolled Content). */
+}
+<script is:inline>
+	(() => {
+		const sidebarContent = document.getElementById('starlight__sidebar')?.firstElementChild;
+
+		if (sidebarContent) {
+			// consider simpler approach when :has proliferates:
+			// sidebarContent.querySelectorAll('details:has(a[aria-current="page"])')
+			function findAllDetailsAncestors(activeLink, boundaryElement) {
+				const detailsElements = new Set();
+				let parent = activeLink.parentElement;
+				while (parent && parent !== boundaryElement) {
+					if (parent.tagName === 'DETAILS') {
+						detailsElements.add(parent);
+					}
+					parent = parent.parentElement;
+				}
+				return [...detailsElements];
+			}
+
+			// open ancestor details of the active item
+			const activeLink = sidebarContent.querySelector('a[aria-current="page"]');
+			const activeLinkDetailAncestors = findAllDetailsAncestors(activeLink, sidebarContent);
+
+			activeLinkDetailAncestors.forEach((detail) => {
+				detail.setAttribute('open', '');
+			});
+
+			const detailElements = [...sidebarContent.querySelectorAll('details')];
+
+			// Restore state from previous navigation
+			// (but keep the active item's ancestors open regardless)
+			const key = 'sl-sidebar-state';
+			const savedStateJson = sessionStorage.getItem(key);
+
+			if (savedStateJson) {
+				let savedState;
+
+				try {
+					savedState = JSON.parse(savedStateJson);
+				} catch (e) {
+					console.error('Error parsing saved position:', e);
+				}
+
+				if (savedState) {
+					savedState.details.forEach((isOpen, i) => {
+						if (isOpen) {
+							detailElements[i]?.setAttribute('open', '');
+						} else if (!activeLinkDetailAncestors.includes(detailElements[i])) {
+							detailElements[i]?.removeAttribute('open');
+						}
+					});
+
+					sidebarContent.scrollTop = savedState.scrollTop;
+				}
+			}
+
+			// Scroll the active list item into view if necessary
+			const activeLi = sidebarContent.querySelector('a[aria-current="page"]')?.parentElement;
+			if (activeLi) {
+				// intersection observer might be more performant?
+				const sidebarRect = sidebarContent.getBoundingClientRect();
+				const liRect = activeLi.getBoundingClientRect();
+				if (liRect.top < sidebarRect.top || liRect.bottom > sidebarRect.bottom) {
+					activeLi.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'instant', block: 'nearest' });
+				}
+			}
+
+			// Save user state before navigating
+			window.addEventListener('beforeunload', () => {
+				sessionStorage.setItem(
+					key,
+					JSON.stringify({
+						details: detailElements.map((detail) => detail.hasAttribute('open')),
+						scrollTop: sidebarContent.scrollTop,
+					})
+				);
+			});
+		}
+	})();
+</script>