diff --git a/src/app/update.rs b/src/app/update.rs
index bd235a82..b6ec6ca1 100644
--- a/src/app/update.rs
+++ b/src/app/update.rs
@@ -5103,6 +5103,11 @@ impl OpenCADStudio {
                 if name != "Model" {
                     self.layout_rename_state = Some((name.clone(), name));
                     self.layout_context_menu = None;
+                    // Focus the inline field so the user types into it
+                    // directly instead of the command line (issue #86).
+                    return iced::widget::operation::focus(iced::widget::Id::new(
+                        crate::ui::statusbar::LAYOUT_RENAME_INPUT_ID,
+                    ));
                 }
                 Task::none()
             }
diff --git a/src/ui/statusbar.rs b/src/ui/statusbar.rs
index c757437a..2cb4c163 100644
--- a/src/ui/statusbar.rs
+++ b/src/ui/statusbar.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ use iced::widget::tooltip::Position as TipPos;
 use iced::widget::{button, container, mouse_area, row, text, text_input, tooltip, Row};
 use iced::{Background, Border, Color, Element, Length, Theme};
 
+/// Widget id of the inline layout-rename text input, so the rename can grab
+/// keyboard focus the moment it opens (issue #86).
+pub const LAYOUT_RENAME_INPUT_ID: &str = "layout_rename_input";
+
 use crate::app::Message;
 use crate::snap::Snapper;
 use crate::ui::statusbar_config::{StatusBarConfig, StatusPill};
@@ -574,6 +578,7 @@ fn space_tab<'a>(
     if let Some(edit_val) = rename_edit {
         // Inline rename text input with a cancel (✕) button.
         let input = text_input("", edit_val)
+            .id(iced::widget::Id::new(LAYOUT_RENAME_INPUT_ID))
             .on_input(Message::LayoutRenameEdit)
             .on_submit(Message::LayoutRenameCommit)
             .size(11)