diff --git a/RELEASENOTES.md b/RELEASENOTES.md
index 214b635a48b..3f9dffbe134 100644
--- a/RELEASENOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASENOTES.md
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@
     *   Fix a bug where an assertion would fail if the player started to buffer
         an ad media period before the ad URI was known then an ad state update
         arrived that didn't set the ad URI.
+    *   Add `ImaAdsLoader.focusSkipButton` to allow apps to request that the
+        skip button should receive UI focus, if shown
+        ([#8565](https://github.com/google/ExoPlayer/issues/8565)).
 *   DRM:
     *   Re-use the previous `DrmSessionManager` instance when playing a playlist
         (if possible)
diff --git a/extensions/ima/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ext/ima/AdTagLoader.java b/extensions/ima/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ext/ima/AdTagLoader.java
index 624a009bb7d..9908e4940cc 100644
--- a/extensions/ima/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ext/ima/AdTagLoader.java
+++ b/extensions/ima/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ext/ima/AdTagLoader.java
@@ -281,6 +281,16 @@ public void skipAd() {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Moves UI focus to the skip button (or other interactive elements), if currently shown. See
+   * {@link AdsManager#focus()}.
+   */
+  public void focusSkipButton() {
+    if (adsManager != null) {
+      adsManager.focus();
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Starts passing events from this instance (including any pending ad playback state) and
    * registers obstructions.
diff --git a/extensions/ima/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ext/ima/ImaAdsLoader.java b/extensions/ima/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ext/ima/ImaAdsLoader.java
index e2adbaf2d02..336a560042b 100644
--- a/extensions/ima/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ext/ima/ImaAdsLoader.java
+++ b/extensions/ima/src/main/java/com/google/android/exoplayer2/ext/ima/ImaAdsLoader.java
@@ -473,6 +473,16 @@ public void skipAd() {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Moves UI focus to the skip button (or other interactive elements), if currently shown. See
+   * {@link AdsManager#focus()}.
+   */
+  public void focusSkipButton() {
+    if (currentAdTagLoader != null) {
+      currentAdTagLoader.focusSkipButton();
+    }
+  }
+
   // AdsLoader implementation.
 
   @Override