diff --git a/src/modules/Carousel.tsx b/src/modules/Carousel.tsx
index 748ed49..01131268 100644
--- a/src/modules/Carousel.tsx
+++ b/src/modules/Carousel.tsx
@@ -12,11 +12,12 @@ import {
   getSlideKey,
   hasSlides,
   isImageSlide,
+  makeInertWhen,
   parseLengthPercentage,
 } from "../utils.js";
 import { ImageSlide } from "../components/index.js";
 import { useController } from "./Controller/index.js";
-import { useLightboxProps, useLightboxState } from "../contexts/index.js";
+import { useDocumentContext, useLightboxProps, useLightboxState } from "../contexts/index.js";
 import { CLASS_FLEX_CENTER, CLASS_SLIDE_WRAPPER, MODULE_CAROUSEL } from "../consts.js";
 
 function cssPrefix(value?: string) {
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ function CarouselSlide({ slide, offset }: CarouselSlideProps) {
   const containerRef = React.useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
 
   const { currentIndex } = useLightboxState();
-  const { slideRect, close } = useController();
+  const { slideRect, close, focus } = useController();
   const {
     render,
     carousel: { imageFit, imageProps },
@@ -44,6 +45,15 @@ function CarouselSlide({ slide, offset }: CarouselSlideProps) {
     controller: { closeOnBackdropClick },
     styles: { slide: style },
   } = useLightboxProps();
+  const { getOwnerDocument } = useDocumentContext();
+
+  const offscreen = offset !== 0;
+
+  React.useEffect(() => {
+    if (offscreen && containerRef.current?.contains(getOwnerDocument().activeElement)) {
+      focus();
+    }
+  }, [offscreen, focus, getOwnerDocument]);
 
   const renderSlide = () => {
     let rendered = render.slide?.({ slide, offset, rect: slideRect });
@@ -57,7 +67,7 @@ function CarouselSlide({ slide, offset }: CarouselSlideProps) {
           rect={slideRect}
           imageFit={imageFit}
           imageProps={imageProps}
-          onClick={offset === 0 ? () => onClick?.({ index: currentIndex }) : undefined}
+          onClick={!offscreen ? () => onClick?.({ index: currentIndex }) : undefined}
         />
       );
     }
@@ -93,10 +103,10 @@ function CarouselSlide({ slide, offset }: CarouselSlideProps) {
       ref={containerRef}
       className={clsx(
         cssClass(cssSlidePrefix()),
-        offset === 0 && cssClass(cssSlidePrefix("current")),
+        !offscreen && cssClass(cssSlidePrefix("current")),
         cssClass(CLASS_FLEX_CENTER),
       )}
-      aria-hidden={offset !== 0}
+      {...makeInertWhen(offscreen)}
       onClick={handleBackdropClick}
       style={style}
     >
diff --git a/src/modules/Portal.tsx b/src/modules/Portal.tsx
index 08a3e7f..f0456bd 100644
--- a/src/modules/Portal.tsx
+++ b/src/modules/Portal.tsx
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ export function Portal({ children, animation, styles, className, on, portal, clo
     for (let i = 0; i < elements.length; i += 1) {
       const element = elements[i];
       if (["TEMPLATE", "SCRIPT", "STYLE"].indexOf(element.tagName) === -1 && element !== node) {
-        cleanup.current.push(setAttribute(element, "inert", "true"));
+        cleanup.current.push(setAttribute(element, "inert", ""));
         cleanup.current.push(setAttribute(element, "aria-hidden", "true"));
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/utils.ts b/src/utils.ts
index a937343..05bdd76 100644
--- a/src/utils.ts
+++ b/src/utils.ts
@@ -157,3 +157,11 @@ export function calculatePreload(carousel: CarouselSettings, slides: Slide[], mi
     Math.max(carousel.finite ? slides.length - 1 : Math.floor(slides.length / 2), minimum),
   );
 }
+
+const isReact19 = Number(React.version.split(".")[0]) >= 19;
+
+// this hack is necessary to support the upcoming breaking change in React 19 - https://github.com/facebook/react/pull/24730
+export function makeInertWhen(condition: boolean) {
+  const legacyValue = condition ? "" : undefined;
+  return { inert: isReact19 ? condition : legacyValue };
+}