diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/MainWindow.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/MainWindow.cpp
index 20e365ae43..022252e6d3 100644
--- a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/MainWindow.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/MainWindow.cpp
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ void MainWindow::ConnectMenuBar()
   connect(m_menu_bar, &MenuBar::ShowList, m_game_list, &GameList::SetListView);
   connect(m_menu_bar, &MenuBar::ShowGrid, m_game_list, &GameList::SetGridView);
   connect(m_menu_bar, &MenuBar::PurgeGameListCache, m_game_list, &GameList::PurgeCache);
-  connect(m_menu_bar, &MenuBar::ToggleSearch, m_search_bar, &SearchBar::Toggle);
+  connect(m_menu_bar, &MenuBar::ShowSearch, m_search_bar, &SearchBar::Show);
 
   connect(m_menu_bar, &MenuBar::ColumnVisibilityToggled, m_game_list,
           &GameList::OnColumnVisibilityToggled);
diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/MenuBar.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/MenuBar.cpp
index 5553e19f4f..0c872c4aef 100644
--- a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/MenuBar.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/MenuBar.cpp
@@ -473,7 +473,7 @@ void MenuBar::AddViewMenu()
   view_menu->addSeparator();
   view_menu->addAction(tr("Purge Game List Cache"), this, &MenuBar::PurgeGameListCache);
   view_menu->addSeparator();
-  view_menu->addAction(tr("Search"), this, &MenuBar::ToggleSearch,
+  view_menu->addAction(tr("Search"), this, &MenuBar::ShowSearch,
                        QKeySequence(QStringLiteral("Ctrl+F")));
 }
 
diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/MenuBar.h b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/MenuBar.h
index fc702bb5c4..dbb962e2ac 100644
--- a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/MenuBar.h
+++ b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/MenuBar.h
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ signals:
   void ShowList();
   void ShowGrid();
   void PurgeGameListCache();
-  void ToggleSearch();
+  void ShowSearch();
   void ColumnVisibilityToggled(const QString& row, bool visible);
   void GameListPlatformVisibilityToggled(const QString& row, bool visible);
   void GameListRegionVisibilityToggled(const QString& row, bool visible);
diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/SearchBar.cpp b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/SearchBar.cpp
index e546a18d98..9289d1a5a5 100644
--- a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/SearchBar.cpp
+++ b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/SearchBar.cpp
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@
 
 #include "DolphinQt/SearchBar.h"
 
+#include <QEvent>
 #include <QHBoxLayout>
+#include <QKeyEvent>
 #include <QLineEdit>
 #include <QPushButton>
 
@@ -16,6 +18,8 @@ SearchBar::SearchBar(QWidget* parent) : QWidget(parent)
   setFixedHeight(32);
 
   setHidden(true);
+
+  installEventFilter(this);
 }
 
 void SearchBar::CreateWidgets()
@@ -34,20 +38,40 @@ void SearchBar::CreateWidgets()
   setLayout(layout);
 }
 
-void SearchBar::Toggle()
+void SearchBar::Show()
 {
-  m_search_edit->clear();
+  m_search_edit->setFocus();
+  m_search_edit->selectAll();
 
-  setHidden(isVisible());
+  // Re-apply the filter string.
+  emit Search(m_search_edit->text());
 
-  if (isVisible())
-    m_search_edit->setFocus();
-  else
-    m_search_edit->clearFocus();
+  show();
+}
+
+void SearchBar::Hide()
+{
+  // Clear the filter string.
+  emit Search(QString());
+
+  m_search_edit->clearFocus();
+
+  hide();
 }
 
 void SearchBar::ConnectWidgets()
 {
   connect(m_search_edit, &QLineEdit::textChanged, this, &SearchBar::Search);
-  connect(m_close_button, &QPushButton::pressed, this, &SearchBar::Toggle);
+  connect(m_close_button, &QPushButton::pressed, this, &SearchBar::Hide);
+}
+
+bool SearchBar::eventFilter(QObject* object, QEvent* event)
+{
+  if (event->type() == QEvent::KeyPress)
+  {
+    if (static_cast<QKeyEvent*>(event)->key() == Qt::Key_Escape)
+      Hide();
+  }
+
+  return false;
 }
diff --git a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/SearchBar.h b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/SearchBar.h
index 7db5bc0f1a..957becf474 100644
--- a/Source/Core/DolphinQt/SearchBar.h
+++ b/Source/Core/DolphinQt/SearchBar.h
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@ class SearchBar : public QWidget
 public:
   explicit SearchBar(QWidget* parent = nullptr);
 
-  void Toggle();
+  void Show();
+  void Hide();
+
 signals:
   void Search(const QString& serach);
 
@@ -23,6 +25,8 @@ private:
   void CreateWidgets();
   void ConnectWidgets();
 
+  bool eventFilter(QObject* object, QEvent* event) final override;
+
   QLineEdit* m_search_edit;
   QPushButton* m_close_button;
 };