diff --git a/app/templates/views/broadcast/areas-with-sub-areas.html b/app/templates/views/broadcast/areas-with-sub-areas.html
index 2f1f02a7f..640f69772 100644
--- a/app/templates/views/broadcast/areas-with-sub-areas.html
+++ b/app/templates/views/broadcast/areas-with-sub-areas.html
@@ -14,7 +14,13 @@
     back_link=url_for('.choose_broadcast_library', service_id=current_service.id, broadcast_message_id=broadcast_message.id),
   )}}
 
-  {{ live_search(target_selector='.file-list-item', show=show_search_form, form=search_form, label='Search by name') }}
+  {{ live_search(
+    target_selector='.file-list-item',
+    show=show_search_form,
+    form=search_form,
+    label='Search by name',
+    autofocus=True)
+  }}
 
   {% for area in library|sort %}
     <div class="file-list-item">
diff --git a/app/templates/views/broadcast/areas.html b/app/templates/views/broadcast/areas.html
index 9ed0a38e8..f55c364cf 100644
--- a/app/templates/views/broadcast/areas.html
+++ b/app/templates/views/broadcast/areas.html
@@ -16,7 +16,13 @@
     back_link=url_for('.choose_broadcast_library', service_id=current_service.id, broadcast_message_id=broadcast_message.id),
   )}}
 
-  {{ live_search(target_selector='.govuk-checkboxes__item', show=show_search_form, form=search_form, label='Search by name') }}
+  {{ live_search(
+      target_selector='.govuk-checkboxes__item',
+      show=show_search_form,
+      form=search_form,
+      label='Search by name',
+      autofocus=True)
+  }}
 
   {% call form_wrapper() %}
     {{ form.areas }}