diff --git a/packages/editor/src/components/post-featured-image/index.js b/packages/editor/src/components/post-featured-image/index.js
index b46e77ea6a5726..9304115b0b7f11 100644
--- a/packages/editor/src/components/post-featured-image/index.js
+++ b/packages/editor/src/components/post-featured-image/index.js
@@ -10,9 +10,10 @@ import {
 	ResponsiveWrapper,
 	withNotices,
 	withFilters,
+	__experimentalHStack as HStack,
 } from '@wordpress/components';
 import { isBlobURL } from '@wordpress/blob';
-import { useState } from '@wordpress/element';
+import { useState, useRef } from '@wordpress/element';
 import { compose } from '@wordpress/compose';
 import { useSelect, withDispatch, withSelect } from '@wordpress/data';
 import {
@@ -33,7 +34,6 @@ const ALLOWED_MEDIA_TYPES = [ 'image' ];
 // Used when labels from post type were not yet loaded or when they are not present.
 const DEFAULT_FEATURE_IMAGE_LABEL = __( 'Featured image' );
 const DEFAULT_SET_FEATURE_IMAGE_LABEL = __( 'Set featured image' );
-const DEFAULT_REMOVE_FEATURE_IMAGE_LABEL = __( 'Remove image' );
 
 const instructions = (
 	<p>
@@ -96,6 +96,7 @@ function PostFeaturedImage( {
 	noticeUI,
 	noticeOperations,
 } ) {
+	const toggleRef = useRef();
 	const [ isLoading, setIsLoading ] = useState( false );
 	const mediaUpload = useSelect( ( select ) => {
 		return select( blockEditorStore ).getSettings().mediaUpload;
@@ -163,6 +164,7 @@ function PostFeaturedImage( {
 						render={ ( { open } ) => (
 							<div className="editor-post-featured-image__container">
 								<Button
+									ref={ toggleRef }
 									className={
 										! featuredImageId
 											? 'editor-post-featured-image__toggle'
@@ -172,7 +174,7 @@ function PostFeaturedImage( {
 									aria-label={
 										! featuredImageId
 											? null
-											: __( 'Edit or update the image' )
+											: __( 'Edit or replace the image' )
 									}
 									aria-describedby={
 										! featuredImageId
@@ -199,44 +201,33 @@ function PostFeaturedImage( {
 											?.set_featured_image ||
 											DEFAULT_SET_FEATURE_IMAGE_LABEL ) }
 								</Button>
+								{ !! featuredImageId && (
+									<HStack className="editor-post-featured-image__actions">
+										<Button
+											className="editor-post-featured-image__action"
+											onClick={ open }
+											// Prefer that screen readers use the .editor-post-featured-image__preview button.
+											aria-hidden="true"
+										>
+											{ __( 'Replace' ) }
+										</Button>
+										<Button
+											className="editor-post-featured-image__action"
+											onClick={ () => {
+												onRemoveImage();
+												toggleRef.current.focus();
+											} }
+										>
+											{ __( 'Remove' ) }
+										</Button>
+									</HStack>
+								) }
 								<DropZone onFilesDrop={ onDropFiles } />
 							</div>
 						) }
 						value={ featuredImageId }
 					/>
 				</MediaUploadCheck>
-				{ !! featuredImageId && (
-					<MediaUploadCheck>
-						{ media && (
-							<MediaUpload
-								title={
-									postType?.labels?.featured_image ||
-									DEFAULT_FEATURE_IMAGE_LABEL
-								}
-								onSelect={ onUpdateImage }
-								unstableFeaturedImageFlow
-								allowedTypes={ ALLOWED_MEDIA_TYPES }
-								modalClass="editor-post-featured-image__media-modal"
-								render={ ( { open } ) => (
-									<Button
-										onClick={ open }
-										variant="secondary"
-									>
-										{ __( 'Replace Image' ) }
-									</Button>
-								) }
-							/>
-						) }
-						<Button
-							onClick={ onRemoveImage }
-							variant="link"
-							isDestructive
-						>
-							{ postType?.labels?.remove_featured_image ||
-								DEFAULT_REMOVE_FEATURE_IMAGE_LABEL }
-						</Button>
-					</MediaUploadCheck>
-				) }
 			</div>
 		</PostFeaturedImageCheck>
 	);
diff --git a/packages/editor/src/components/post-featured-image/style.scss b/packages/editor/src/components/post-featured-image/style.scss
index 965780179e6ef9..3b14662bf1d427 100644
--- a/packages/editor/src/components/post-featured-image/style.scss
+++ b/packages/editor/src/components/post-featured-image/style.scss
@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@
 .editor-post-featured-image {
 	padding: 0;
 
-	&__container {
-		margin-bottom: 1em;
-		position: relative;
-	}
 
 	.components-spinner {
 		position: absolute;
@@ -14,12 +10,6 @@
 		margin-left: -9px;
 	}
 
-	// Stack consecutive buttons.
-	.components-button + .components-button {
-		display: block;
-		margin-top: 1em;
-	}
-
 	// This keeps images at their intrinsic size (eg. a 50px
 	// image will never be wider than 50px).
 	.components-responsive-wrapper__content {
@@ -28,22 +18,40 @@
 	}
 }
 
+.editor-post-featured-image__container {
+	position: relative;
+
+	&:hover,
+	&:focus,
+	&:focus-within {
+		.editor-post-featured-image__actions {
+			opacity: 1;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 .editor-post-featured-image__toggle,
 .editor-post-featured-image__preview {
-	display: block;
 	width: 100%;
 	padding: 0;
 	transition: all 0.1s ease-out;
 	@include reduce-motion("transition");
 	box-shadow: 0 0 0 0 var(--wp-admin-theme-color);
+	overflow: hidden; // Ensure the focus style properly encapsulates the image.
+
+	// Apply a max-height.
+	display: flex;
+	justify-content: center;
+	max-height: 150px;
 }
 
 .editor-post-featured-image__preview {
 	height: auto;
-}
 
-.editor-post-featured-image__preview:not(:disabled):not([aria-disabled="true"]):focus {
-	box-shadow: 0 0 0 4px var(--wp-admin-theme-color);
+	.components-responsive-wrapper {
+		width: 100%;
+		background: $gray-100;
+	}
 }
 
 .editor-post-featured-image__toggle {
@@ -59,3 +67,19 @@
 		color: $gray-900;
 	}
 }
+
+.editor-post-featured-image__actions {
+	@include reduce-motion("transition");
+	bottom: 0;
+	opacity: 0; // Use opacity instead of visibility so that the buttons remain in the tab order.
+	padding: $grid-unit-10;
+	position: absolute;
+	transition: opacity 50ms ease-out;
+}
+
+.editor-post-featured-image__action {
+	backdrop-filter: blur(16px) saturate(180%);
+	background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.75);
+	flex-grow: 1;
+	justify-content: center;
+}