diff --git a/common/control.c b/common/control.c
index 98cb94aa..83254ef2 100644
--- a/common/control.c
+++ b/common/control.c
@@ -57,6 +57,11 @@ void uiControlDisable(uiControl *c)
 	(*(c->Disable))(c);
 }
 
+void uiControlSetFocus(uiControl *c)
+{
+	(*(c->SetFocus))(c);
+}
+
 #define uiprivControlSignature 0x7569436F
 
 uiControl *uiAllocControl(size_t size, uint32_t OSsig, uint32_t typesig, const char *typenamestr)
diff --git a/ui.h b/ui.h
index 9ce47d34..022178e4 100644
--- a/ui.h
+++ b/ui.h
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ struct uiControl {
 	int (*Enabled)(uiControl *);
 	void (*Enable)(uiControl *);
 	void (*Disable)(uiControl *);
+	void (*SetFocus)(uiControl *);
 };
 // TOOD add argument names to all arguments
 #define uiControl(this) ((uiControl *) (this))
@@ -111,6 +112,7 @@ _UI_EXTERN void uiControlHide(uiControl *);
 _UI_EXTERN int uiControlEnabled(uiControl *);
 _UI_EXTERN void uiControlEnable(uiControl *);
 _UI_EXTERN void uiControlDisable(uiControl *);
+_UI_EXTERN void uiControlSetFocus(uiControl *);
 
 _UI_EXTERN uiControl *uiAllocControl(size_t n, uint32_t OSsig, uint32_t typesig, const char *typenamestr);
 _UI_EXTERN void uiFreeControl(uiControl *);
diff --git a/ui_windows.h b/ui_windows.h
index 69dda366..46cd9eee 100644
--- a/ui_windows.h
+++ b/ui_windows.h
@@ -102,6 +102,11 @@ _UI_EXTERN void uiWindowsControlChildVisibilityChanged(uiWindowsControl *);
 		uiWindowsControl(c)->enabled = 0; \
 		uiWindowsControlSyncEnableState(uiWindowsControl(c), uiControlEnabledToUser(c)); \
 	}
+#define uiWindowsControlDefaultSetFocus(type) \
+	static void type ## SetFocus(uiControl *c) \
+	{ \
+		uiWindowsSetFocus(type(c)->hwnd); \
+	}
 #define uiWindowsControlDefaultSyncEnableState(type) \
 	static void type ## SyncEnableState(uiWindowsControl *c, int enabled) \
 	{ \
@@ -152,6 +157,7 @@ _UI_EXTERN void uiWindowsControlChildVisibilityChanged(uiWindowsControl *);
 	uiWindowsControlDefaultEnabled(type) \
 	uiWindowsControlDefaultEnable(type) \
 	uiWindowsControlDefaultDisable(type) \
+	uiWindowsControlDefaultSetFocus(type) \
 	uiWindowsControlDefaultSyncEnableState(type) \
 	uiWindowsControlDefaultSetParentHWND(type) \
 	uiWindowsControlDefaultMinimumSizeChanged(type) \
@@ -177,6 +183,7 @@ _UI_EXTERN void uiWindowsControlChildVisibilityChanged(uiWindowsControl *);
 	uiControl(var)->Enabled = type ## Enabled; \
 	uiControl(var)->Enable = type ## Enable; \
 	uiControl(var)->Disable = type ## Disable; \
+	uiControl(var)->SetFocus = type ## SetFocus; \
 	uiWindowsControl(var)->SyncEnableState = type ## SyncEnableState; \
 	uiWindowsControl(var)->SetParentHWND = type ## SetParentHWND; \
 	uiWindowsControl(var)->MinimumSize = type ## MinimumSize; \
@@ -199,6 +206,8 @@ _UI_EXTERN void uiWindowsEnsureDestroyWindow(HWND hwnd);
 // TODO document that this should only be used in SetParentHWND() implementations
 _UI_EXTERN void uiWindowsEnsureSetParentHWND(HWND hwnd, HWND parent);
 
+_UI_EXTERN void uiWindowsSetFocus(HWND hwnd);
+
 // TODO document
 _UI_EXTERN void uiWindowsEnsureAssignControlIDZOrder(HWND hwnd, LONG_PTR *controlID, HWND *insertAfter);
 
diff --git a/windows/box.cpp b/windows/box.cpp
index 9567954b..c3069895 100644
--- a/windows/box.cpp
+++ b/windows/box.cpp
@@ -143,6 +143,7 @@ uiWindowsControlDefaultHide(uiBox)
 uiWindowsControlDefaultEnabled(uiBox)
 uiWindowsControlDefaultEnable(uiBox)
 uiWindowsControlDefaultDisable(uiBox)
+uiWindowsControlDefaultSetFocus(uiBox)
 
 static void uiBoxSyncEnableState(uiWindowsControl *c, int enabled)
 {
diff --git a/windows/form.cpp b/windows/form.cpp
index ed194671..6cd2923b 100644
--- a/windows/form.cpp
+++ b/windows/form.cpp
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ uiWindowsControlDefaultHide(uiForm)
 uiWindowsControlDefaultEnabled(uiForm)
 uiWindowsControlDefaultEnable(uiForm)
 uiWindowsControlDefaultDisable(uiForm)
+uiWindowsControlDefaultSetFocus(uiForm)
 
 static void uiFormSyncEnableState(uiWindowsControl *c, int enabled)
 {
diff --git a/windows/grid.cpp b/windows/grid.cpp
index cac87aff..a412a950 100644
--- a/windows/grid.cpp
+++ b/windows/grid.cpp
@@ -436,6 +436,7 @@ uiWindowsControlDefaultHide(uiGrid)
 uiWindowsControlDefaultEnabled(uiGrid)
 uiWindowsControlDefaultEnable(uiGrid)
 uiWindowsControlDefaultDisable(uiGrid)
+uiWindowsControlDefaultSetFocus(uiGrid)
 
 static void uiGridSyncEnableState(uiWindowsControl *c, int enabled)
 {
diff --git a/windows/group.cpp b/windows/group.cpp
index 1a2cc6ed..d40c78bc 100644
--- a/windows/group.cpp
+++ b/windows/group.cpp
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ uiWindowsControlDefaultHide(uiGroup)
 uiWindowsControlDefaultEnabled(uiGroup)
 uiWindowsControlDefaultEnable(uiGroup)
 uiWindowsControlDefaultDisable(uiGroup)
+uiWindowsControlDefaultSetFocus(uiGroup)
 
 static void uiGroupSyncEnableState(uiWindowsControl *c, int enabled)
 {
diff --git a/windows/tab.cpp b/windows/tab.cpp
index e7239585..03017a2c 100644
--- a/windows/tab.cpp
+++ b/windows/tab.cpp
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ uiWindowsControlDefaultHide(uiTab)
 uiWindowsControlDefaultEnabled(uiTab)
 uiWindowsControlDefaultEnable(uiTab)
 uiWindowsControlDefaultDisable(uiTab)
+uiWindowsControlDefaultSetFocus(uiTab)
 
 static void uiTabSyncEnableState(uiWindowsControl *c, int enabled)
 {
diff --git a/windows/window.cpp b/windows/window.cpp
index 2ea5b7ce..66452009 100644
--- a/windows/window.cpp
+++ b/windows/window.cpp
@@ -236,6 +236,7 @@ uiWindowsControlDefaultDisable(uiWindow)
 uiWindowsControlDefaultSyncEnableState(uiWindow)
 // TODO
 uiWindowsControlDefaultSetParentHWND(uiWindow)
+uiWindowsControlDefaultSetFocus(uiWindow)
 
 static void uiWindowMinimumSize(uiWindowsControl *c, int *width, int *height)
 {
diff --git a/windows/winpublic.cpp b/windows/winpublic.cpp
index 397a3b54..e4da9d66 100644
--- a/windows/winpublic.cpp
+++ b/windows/winpublic.cpp
@@ -59,3 +59,9 @@ void uiWindowsEnsureGetWindowRect(HWND hwnd, RECT *r)
 		r->bottom = 0;
 	}
 }
+
+void uiWindowsSetFocus(HWND hwnd)
+{
+	if (SetFocus(hwnd) == 0)
+		logLastError(L"error setting ficus");
+}