diff --git a/src/material/bottom-sheet/bottom-sheet-config.ts b/src/material/bottom-sheet/bottom-sheet-config.ts
index 6740e47bf4aa..c7ffe34d14d5 100644
--- a/src/material/bottom-sheet/bottom-sheet-config.ts
+++ b/src/material/bottom-sheet/bottom-sheet-config.ts
@@ -58,15 +58,12 @@ export class MatBottomSheetConfig<D = any> {
    */
   closeOnNavigation?: boolean = true;
 
-  // Note that this is set to 'dialog' by default, because while the a11y recommendations
-  // are to focus the first focusable element, doing so prevents screen readers from reading out the
-  // rest of the bottom sheet content.
   /**
    * Where the bottom sheet should focus on open.
    * @breaking-change 14.0.0 Remove boolean option from autoFocus. Use string or
    * AutoFocusTarget instead.
    */
-  autoFocus?: AutoFocusTarget | string | boolean = 'dialog';
+  autoFocus?: AutoFocusTarget | string | boolean = 'first-tabbable';
 
   /**
    * Whether the bottom sheet should restore focus to the
diff --git a/src/material/bottom-sheet/bottom-sheet-container.ts b/src/material/bottom-sheet/bottom-sheet-container.ts
index 0dae8f85adff..d7beb99f7d9e 100644
--- a/src/material/bottom-sheet/bottom-sheet-container.ts
+++ b/src/material/bottom-sheet/bottom-sheet-container.ts
@@ -137,10 +137,6 @@ export class MatBottomSheetContainer extends CdkDialogContainer implements OnDes
     const isEnter = animationName === ENTER_ANIMATION;
     const isExit = animationName === EXIT_ANIMATION;
 
-    if (isEnter) {
-      this._trapFocus();
-    }
-
     if (isEnter || isExit) {
       this._animationStateChanged.emit({
         toState: isEnter ? 'visible' : 'hidden',
@@ -148,6 +144,4 @@ export class MatBottomSheetContainer extends CdkDialogContainer implements OnDes
       });
     }
   }
-
-  protected override _captureInitialFocus(): void {}
 }
diff --git a/src/material/bottom-sheet/bottom-sheet.spec.ts b/src/material/bottom-sheet/bottom-sheet.spec.ts
index b632d66e7f99..1ba7af4a3917 100644
--- a/src/material/bottom-sheet/bottom-sheet.spec.ts
+++ b/src/material/bottom-sheet/bottom-sheet.spec.ts
@@ -622,7 +622,7 @@ describe('MatBottomSheet', () => {
     beforeEach(() => document.body.appendChild(overlayContainerElement));
     afterEach(() => overlayContainerElement.remove());
 
-    it('should focus the bottom sheet container by default', fakeAsync(() => {
+    it('should focus the first tabbable element by default', fakeAsync(() => {
       bottomSheet.open(PizzaMsg, {
         viewContainerRef: testViewContainerRef,
       });
@@ -631,9 +631,7 @@ describe('MatBottomSheet', () => {
       flush();
       viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
 
-      expect(document.activeElement!.tagName)
-        .withContext('Expected bottom sheet container to be focused.')
-        .toBe('MAT-BOTTOM-SHEET-CONTAINER');
+      expect(document.activeElement!.tagName).toBe('INPUT');
     }));
 
     it('should create a focus trap if autoFocus is disabled', fakeAsync(() => {
@@ -669,72 +667,62 @@ describe('MatBottomSheet', () => {
       },
     );
 
-    it(
-      'should focus the bottom sheet element on open when autoFocus is set to ' +
-        '"dialog" (the default)',
-      fakeAsync(() => {
-        bottomSheet.open(PizzaMsg, {
-          viewContainerRef: testViewContainerRef,
-        });
+    it('should focus the bottom sheet element on open when autoFocus is set to "dialog"', fakeAsync(() => {
+      bottomSheet.open(PizzaMsg, {
+        viewContainerRef: testViewContainerRef,
+        autoFocus: 'dialog',
+      });
 
-        viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
-        flush();
-        viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
+      viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
+      flush();
+      viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
 
-        let container = overlayContainerElement.querySelector(
-          '.mat-bottom-sheet-container',
-        ) as HTMLInputElement;
+      let container = overlayContainerElement.querySelector(
+        '.mat-bottom-sheet-container',
+      ) as HTMLInputElement;
 
-        expect(document.activeElement)
-          .withContext('Expected container to be focused on open')
-          .toBe(container);
-      }),
-    );
+      expect(document.activeElement)
+        .withContext('Expected container to be focused on open')
+        .toBe(container);
+    }));
 
-    it(
-      'should focus the bottom sheet element on open when autoFocus is set to ' + '"first-heading"',
-      fakeAsync(() => {
-        bottomSheet.open(ContentElementDialog, {
-          viewContainerRef: testViewContainerRef,
-          autoFocus: 'first-heading',
-        });
+    it('should focus the bottom sheet element on open when autoFocus is set to "first-heading"', fakeAsync(() => {
+      bottomSheet.open(ContentElementDialog, {
+        viewContainerRef: testViewContainerRef,
+        autoFocus: 'first-heading',
+      });
 
-        viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
-        flush();
-        viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
+      viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
+      flush();
+      viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
 
-        let firstHeader = overlayContainerElement.querySelector(
-          'h1[tabindex="-1"]',
-        ) as HTMLInputElement;
+      let firstHeader = overlayContainerElement.querySelector(
+        'h1[tabindex="-1"]',
+      ) as HTMLInputElement;
 
-        expect(document.activeElement)
-          .withContext('Expected first header to be focused on open')
-          .toBe(firstHeader);
-      }),
-    );
+      expect(document.activeElement)
+        .withContext('Expected first header to be focused on open')
+        .toBe(firstHeader);
+    }));
 
-    it(
-      'should focus the first element that matches the css selector on open when ' +
-        'autoFocus is set to a css selector',
-      fakeAsync(() => {
-        bottomSheet.open(ContentElementDialog, {
-          viewContainerRef: testViewContainerRef,
-          autoFocus: 'p',
-        });
+    it('should focus the first element that matches the css selector on open when autoFocus is set to a css selector', fakeAsync(() => {
+      bottomSheet.open(ContentElementDialog, {
+        viewContainerRef: testViewContainerRef,
+        autoFocus: 'p',
+      });
 
-        viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
-        flush();
-        viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
+      viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
+      flush();
+      viewContainerFixture.detectChanges();
 
-        let firstParagraph = overlayContainerElement.querySelector(
-          'p[tabindex="-1"]',
-        ) as HTMLInputElement;
+      let firstParagraph = overlayContainerElement.querySelector(
+        'p[tabindex="-1"]',
+      ) as HTMLInputElement;
 
-        expect(document.activeElement)
-          .withContext('Expected first paragraph to be focused on open')
-          .toBe(firstParagraph);
-      }),
-    );
+      expect(document.activeElement)
+        .withContext('Expected first paragraph to be focused on open')
+        .toBe(firstParagraph);
+    }));
 
     it('should re-focus trigger element when bottom sheet closes', fakeAsync(() => {
       const button = document.createElement('button');
diff --git a/tools/public_api_guard/material/bottom-sheet.md b/tools/public_api_guard/material/bottom-sheet.md
index 798061904c89..11d0bac8127b 100644
--- a/tools/public_api_guard/material/bottom-sheet.md
+++ b/tools/public_api_guard/material/bottom-sheet.md
@@ -81,8 +81,6 @@ export class MatBottomSheetContainer extends CdkDialogContainer implements OnDes
         toState: "visible" | "hidden";
         phase: "start" | "done";
     }>;
-    // (undocumented)
-    protected _captureInitialFocus(): void;
     enter(): void;
     exit(): void;
     // (undocumented)