diff --git a/src/App.tsx b/src/App.tsx
index 79acdad..bc713b5 100644
--- a/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/App.tsx
@@ -253,6 +253,8 @@ function App() {
   const [currentMatchIndex, setCurrentMatchIndex] = useState(0);
   const [headings, setHeadings] = useState<Heading[]>([]);
   const [menuOpen, setMenuOpen] = useState<string | null>(null);
+  const [menuFocusIndex, setMenuFocusIndex] = useState(0);
+  const menuItems = ['file', 'view', 'help'] as const;
   const [showShortcutsModal, setShowShortcutsModal] = useState(false);
   const [showAboutModal, setShowAboutModal] = useState(false);
   const [zoom, setZoom] = useState(100);
@@ -744,6 +746,77 @@ function App() {
     localStorage.setItem('vesper-ui-zoom', String(Math.round(uiZoom)));
   }, [uiZoom]);
 
+  // Menu bar keyboard navigation (WAI-ARIA menu pattern)
+  const handleMenuBarKeyDown = (e: React.KeyboardEvent) => {
+    if (e.key === 'ArrowRight') {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      const next = (menuFocusIndex + 1) % menuItems.length;
+      setMenuFocusIndex(next);
+      menuItemRefs.current[menuItems[next]]?.focus();
+      if (menuOpen) setMenuOpen(menuItems[next]);
+    } else if (e.key === 'ArrowLeft') {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      const prev = (menuFocusIndex - 1 + menuItems.length) % menuItems.length;
+      setMenuFocusIndex(prev);
+      menuItemRefs.current[menuItems[prev]]?.focus();
+      if (menuOpen) setMenuOpen(menuItems[prev]);
+    } else if (e.key === 'ArrowDown' || e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ') {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      setMenuOpen(menuItems[menuFocusIndex]);
+    } else if (e.key === 'Escape') {
+      setMenuOpen(null);
+    }
+  };
+
+  const handleMenuDropdownKeyDown = (e: React.KeyboardEvent) => {
+    const menu = e.currentTarget as HTMLElement;
+    const items = menu.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>('[role="menuitem"]');
+    if (!items.length) return;
+
+    const currentIndex = Array.from(items).indexOf(document.activeElement as HTMLElement);
+
+    if (e.key === 'ArrowDown') {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      const next = currentIndex < items.length - 1 ? currentIndex + 1 : 0;
+      items[next]?.focus();
+    } else if (e.key === 'ArrowUp') {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      const prev = currentIndex > 0 ? currentIndex - 1 : items.length - 1;
+      items[prev]?.focus();
+    } else if (e.key === 'Home') {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      items[0]?.focus();
+    } else if (e.key === 'End') {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      items[items.length - 1]?.focus();
+    } else if (e.key === 'Escape') {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      setMenuOpen(null);
+      menuItemRefs.current[menuItems[menuFocusIndex]]?.focus();
+    } else if (e.key === 'ArrowRight') {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      const next = (menuFocusIndex + 1) % menuItems.length;
+      setMenuFocusIndex(next);
+      setMenuOpen(menuItems[next]);
+    } else if (e.key === 'ArrowLeft') {
+      e.preventDefault();
+      const prev = (menuFocusIndex - 1 + menuItems.length) % menuItems.length;
+      setMenuFocusIndex(prev);
+      setMenuOpen(menuItems[prev]);
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Auto-focus first menuitem when a dropdown opens
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (menuOpen) {
+      requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+        const dropdown = document.querySelector('.menu-dropdown[role="menu"]');
+        const firstItem = dropdown?.querySelector<HTMLElement>('[role="menuitem"]');
+        firstItem?.focus();
+      });
+    }
+  }, [menuOpen]);
+
   const osScrollbarOptions = {
     scrollbars: { autoHide: 'scroll' as const, autoHideDelay: 800, theme: 'os-theme-dark' as const }
   };
@@ -784,13 +857,13 @@ function App() {
 
       <AnimatePresence initial={false}>
         {!focusMode && (
-          <motion.div key="menu-bar" className="menu-bar" role="menubar" initial={{ height: 0, opacity: 0 }} animate={{ height: 28, opacity: 1 }} exit={{ height: 0, opacity: 0 }} transition={smoothTransition} style={{ overflow: 'hidden' }}>
-            <button className="menu-item" role="menuitem" aria-haspopup="true" aria-expanded={menuOpen === 'file'} ref={(el) => { menuItemRefs.current['file'] = el; }} onClick={() => setMenuOpen(prev => prev === 'file' ? null : 'file')}>File</button>
-            <button className="menu-item" role="menuitem" aria-haspopup="true" aria-expanded={menuOpen === 'view'} ref={(el) => { menuItemRefs.current['view'] = el; }} onClick={() => setMenuOpen(prev => prev === 'view' ? null : 'view')}>View</button>
-            <button className="menu-item" role="menuitem" aria-haspopup="true" aria-expanded={menuOpen === 'help'} ref={(el) => { menuItemRefs.current['help'] = el; }} onClick={() => setMenuOpen(prev => prev === 'help' ? null : 'help')}>Help</button>
+          <motion.div key="menu-bar" className="menu-bar" role="menubar" onKeyDown={handleMenuBarKeyDown} initial={{ height: 0, opacity: 0 }} animate={{ height: 28, opacity: 1 }} exit={{ height: 0, opacity: 0 }} transition={smoothTransition} style={{ overflow: 'hidden' }}>
+            <button className="menu-item" role="menuitem" aria-haspopup="true" aria-expanded={menuOpen === 'file'} tabIndex={menuFocusIndex === 0 ? 0 : -1} ref={(el) => { menuItemRefs.current['file'] = el; }} onClick={() => { setMenuFocusIndex(0); setMenuOpen(prev => prev === 'file' ? null : 'file'); }}>File</button>
+            <button className="menu-item" role="menuitem" aria-haspopup="true" aria-expanded={menuOpen === 'view'} tabIndex={menuFocusIndex === 1 ? 0 : -1} ref={(el) => { menuItemRefs.current['view'] = el; }} onClick={() => { setMenuFocusIndex(1); setMenuOpen(prev => prev === 'view' ? null : 'view'); }}>View</button>
+            <button className="menu-item" role="menuitem" aria-haspopup="true" aria-expanded={menuOpen === 'help'} tabIndex={menuFocusIndex === 2 ? 0 : -1} ref={(el) => { menuItemRefs.current['help'] = el; }} onClick={() => { setMenuFocusIndex(2); setMenuOpen(prev => prev === 'help' ? null : 'help'); }}>Help</button>
             <AnimatePresence>
               {menuOpen === 'file' && menuItemRefs.current['file'] && (
-                <motion.div className="menu-dropdown" role="menu" initial={{ opacity: 0, y: -5 }} animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }} exit={{ opacity: 0, y: -5 }} transition={smoothTransition} style={{ position: 'fixed', left: menuItemRefs.current['file']!.getBoundingClientRect().left, top: menuItemRefs.current['file']!.getBoundingClientRect().bottom - 6 }}>
+                <motion.div className="menu-dropdown" role="menu" onKeyDown={handleMenuDropdownKeyDown} initial={{ opacity: 0, y: -5 }} animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }} exit={{ opacity: 0, y: -5 }} transition={smoothTransition} style={{ position: 'fixed', left: menuItemRefs.current['file']!.getBoundingClientRect().left, top: menuItemRefs.current['file']!.getBoundingClientRect().bottom - 6 }}>
                   <button className="menu-dropdown-item" role="menuitem" onClick={() => { handleOpenDialog(); setMenuOpen(null); }}>Open File <span className="menu-shortcut">Ctrl+O</span></button>
                   <button className="menu-dropdown-item" role="menuitem" onClick={() => { if (activeTabId) closeTab(activeTabId); setMenuOpen(null); }}>Close Tab <span className="menu-shortcut">Ctrl+W</span></button>
                   <div className="menu-separator"></div>
@@ -798,7 +871,7 @@ function App() {
                 </motion.div>
               )}
               {menuOpen === 'view' && menuItemRefs.current['view'] && (
-                <motion.div className="menu-dropdown" role="menu" initial={{ opacity: 0, y: -5 }} animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }} exit={{ opacity: 0, y: -5 }} transition={smoothTransition} style={{ position: 'fixed', left: menuItemRefs.current['view']!.getBoundingClientRect().left, top: menuItemRefs.current['view']!.getBoundingClientRect().bottom - 6 }}>
+                <motion.div className="menu-dropdown" role="menu" onKeyDown={handleMenuDropdownKeyDown} initial={{ opacity: 0, y: -5 }} animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }} exit={{ opacity: 0, y: -5 }} transition={smoothTransition} style={{ position: 'fixed', left: menuItemRefs.current['view']!.getBoundingClientRect().left, top: menuItemRefs.current['view']!.getBoundingClientRect().bottom - 6 }}>
                   <button className="menu-dropdown-item" role="menuitem" onClick={() => { setShowSearch(s => !s); setMenuOpen(null); }}>Toggle Search <span className="menu-shortcut">Ctrl+F</span></button>
                   <button className="menu-dropdown-item" role="menuitem" onClick={() => { setShowSidebar(s => !s); setMenuOpen(null); }}>Toggle Sidebar <span className="menu-shortcut">Ctrl+Shift+S</span></button>
                   <button className="menu-dropdown-item" role="menuitem" onClick={() => { setFocusMode(f => !f); setMenuOpen(null); }}>Focus Mode <span className="menu-shortcut">F11</span></button>
@@ -814,7 +887,7 @@ function App() {
                 </motion.div>
               )}
               {menuOpen === 'help' && menuItemRefs.current['help'] && (
-                <motion.div className="menu-dropdown" role="menu" initial={{ opacity: 0, y: -5 }} animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }} exit={{ opacity: 0, y: -5 }} transition={smoothTransition} style={{ position: 'fixed', left: menuItemRefs.current['help']!.getBoundingClientRect().left, top: menuItemRefs.current['help']!.getBoundingClientRect().bottom - 6 }}>
+                <motion.div className="menu-dropdown" role="menu" onKeyDown={handleMenuDropdownKeyDown} initial={{ opacity: 0, y: -5 }} animate={{ opacity: 1, y: 0 }} exit={{ opacity: 0, y: -5 }} transition={smoothTransition} style={{ position: 'fixed', left: menuItemRefs.current['help']!.getBoundingClientRect().left, top: menuItemRefs.current['help']!.getBoundingClientRect().bottom - 6 }}>
                   <button className="menu-dropdown-item" role="menuitem" onClick={() => { setShowShortcutsModal(true); setMenuOpen(null); }}>Keyboard Shortcuts</button>
                   <button className="menu-dropdown-item" role="menuitem" onClick={() => { setShowAboutModal(true); setMenuOpen(null); }}>About Vesper</button>
                 </motion.div>