diff --git a/RELEASENOTES.md b/RELEASENOTES.md
index 06faf0f816..09c12d1d78 100644
--- a/RELEASENOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASENOTES.md
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@
     *   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)).
 *   Remove deprecated symbols:
     *   Remove `Player.DefaultEventListener`. Use `Player.EventListener`
         instead.
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 624a009bb7..9908e4940c 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 @@ import java.util.Map;
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * 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 e2adbaf2d0..336a560042 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 final class ImaAdsLoader implements Player.EventListener, AdsLoader {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * 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