diff --git a/goldens/cdk/a11y/index.api.md b/goldens/cdk/a11y/index.api.md
index 97e249a3dbf6..64d95ac14d6c 100644
--- a/goldens/cdk/a11y/index.api.md
+++ b/goldens/cdk/a11y/index.api.md
@@ -327,6 +327,7 @@ export interface InputModalityDetectorOptions {
 export class InteractivityChecker {
     isDisabled(element: HTMLElement): boolean;
     isFocusable(element: HTMLElement, config?: IsFocusableConfig): boolean;
+    isInert(element: HTMLElement): boolean;
     isTabbable(element: HTMLElement): boolean;
     isVisible(element: HTMLElement): boolean;
     // (undocumented)
diff --git a/src/cdk/a11y/focus-trap/focus-trap.spec.ts b/src/cdk/a11y/focus-trap/focus-trap.spec.ts
index a196f6715273..fb584b81c9d2 100644
--- a/src/cdk/a11y/focus-trap/focus-trap.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/a11y/focus-trap/focus-trap.spec.ts
@@ -54,6 +54,21 @@ describe('FocusTrap', () => {
         .toBe(true);
     });
 
+    it('should skip elements inside an inert subtree when focusing the last element', () => {
+      const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(FocusTrapWithInertLastChild);
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      const result =
+        fixture.componentInstance.focusTrapDirective.focusTrap.focusLastTabbableElement();
+
+      expect(getActiveElement().id)
+        .withContext('Expected the last non-inert element to be focused')
+        .toBe('last-visible');
+      expect(result)
+        .withContext('Expected return value to be true if focus was shifted.')
+        .toBe(true);
+    });
+
     it('should return false if it did not manage to find a focusable element', () => {
       const fixture = TestBed.createComponent(FocusTrapWithoutFocusableElements);
       fixture.detectChanges();
@@ -341,6 +356,23 @@ class SimpleFocusTrap {
   @ViewChild(CdkTrapFocus) focusTrapDirective!: CdkTrapFocus;
 }
 
+@Component({
+  template: `
+    <div cdkTrapFocus>
+      <button>SAVE</button>
+      <input id="last-visible">
+      <div inert>
+        <input>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  `,
+  imports: [A11yModule, PortalModule],
+  changeDetection: ChangeDetectionStrategy.Eager,
+})
+class FocusTrapWithInertLastChild {
+  @ViewChild(CdkTrapFocus) focusTrapDirective!: CdkTrapFocus;
+}
+
 const AUTO_FOCUS_TEMPLATE = `
   <button type="button">Toggle</button>
   @if (showTrappedRegion) {
diff --git a/src/cdk/a11y/interactivity-checker/interactivity-checker.spec.ts b/src/cdk/a11y/interactivity-checker/interactivity-checker.spec.ts
index 6e4d348d612a..e0db3cb64156 100644
--- a/src/cdk/a11y/interactivity-checker/interactivity-checker.spec.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/a11y/interactivity-checker/interactivity-checker.spec.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,40 @@ describe('InteractivityChecker', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('isInert', () => {
+    it('should return true for an element with the inert attribute', () => {
+      const button = document.createElement('button');
+      button.setAttribute('inert', '');
+      testContainerElement.appendChild(button);
+
+      expect(checker.isInert(button)).withContext('Expected <button inert> to be inert').toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should return true for a descendant of an inert element', () => {
+      testContainerElement.innerHTML = `<div inert>
+           <div>
+             <button></button>
+           </div>
+         </div>`;
+      const button = testContainerElement.querySelector('button') as HTMLElement;
+
+      expect(checker.isInert(button))
+        .withContext('Expected element with an inert ancestor to be inert')
+        .toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should return false for an element without an inert ancestor', () => {
+      testContainerElement.innerHTML = `<div>
+           <button></button>
+         </div>`;
+      const button = testContainerElement.querySelector('button') as HTMLElement;
+
+      expect(checker.isInert(button))
+        .withContext('Expected element without an inert ancestor not to be inert')
+        .toBe(false);
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('isVisible', () => {
     it('should return false for a `display: none` element (isVisible)', () => {
       testContainerElement.innerHTML = `<input style="display: none;">`;
@@ -158,6 +192,45 @@ describe('InteractivityChecker', () => {
       });
     });
 
+    it('should return false for a focusable element with the inert attribute', () => {
+      const button = document.createElement('button');
+      button.setAttribute('inert', '');
+      testContainerElement.appendChild(button);
+
+      expect(checker.isFocusable(button))
+        .withContext('Expected <button inert> not to be focusable')
+        .toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should return false for a focusable element inside an inert container', () => {
+      testContainerElement.innerHTML = `<div inert>
+           <button></button>
+         </div>`;
+      const button = testContainerElement.querySelector('button') as HTMLElement;
+
+      expect(checker.isFocusable(button))
+        .withContext('Expected element with an inert ancestor not to be focusable')
+        .toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should return true for a focusable element once inert is removed', () => {
+      testContainerElement.innerHTML = `<div inert>
+           <button></button>
+         </div>`;
+      const container = testContainerElement.firstElementChild as HTMLElement;
+      const button = testContainerElement.querySelector('button') as HTMLElement;
+
+      expect(checker.isFocusable(button))
+        .withContext('Expected element with an inert ancestor not to be focusable')
+        .toBe(false);
+
+      container.removeAttribute('inert');
+
+      expect(checker.isFocusable(button))
+        .withContext('Expected element to be focusable once inert is removed')
+        .toBe(true);
+    });
+
     it('should return false for a `display: none` element (isFocusable)', () => {
       testContainerElement.innerHTML = `<input style="display: none;">`;
       const input = testContainerElement.querySelector('input') as HTMLElement;
diff --git a/src/cdk/a11y/interactivity-checker/interactivity-checker.ts b/src/cdk/a11y/interactivity-checker/interactivity-checker.ts
index a43143541310..d1a34d5d66b1 100644
--- a/src/cdk/a11y/interactivity-checker/interactivity-checker.ts
+++ b/src/cdk/a11y/interactivity-checker/interactivity-checker.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,19 @@ export class InteractivityChecker {
     return element.hasAttribute('disabled');
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Gets whether an element is inert, either directly or through an inert ancestor.
+   * Inert elements cannot receive focus, so calling `focus()` on them has no effect.
+   *
+   * @param element Element to be checked.
+   * @returns Whether the element is inert.
+   */
+  isInert(element: HTMLElement): boolean {
+    // The `inert` attribute applies to the element and all of its descendants, so the
+    // ancestors have to be checked as well. `closest` may be missing in non-DOM environments.
+    return element.closest?.('[inert]') != null;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Gets whether an element is visible for the purposes of interactivity.
    *
@@ -142,11 +155,12 @@ export class InteractivityChecker {
    * @returns Whether the element is focusable.
    */
   isFocusable(element: HTMLElement, config?: IsFocusableConfig): boolean {
-    // Perform checks in order of left to most expensive.
+    // Perform checks in order of least to most expensive.
     // Again, naive approach that does not capture many edge cases and browser quirks.
     return (
       isPotentiallyFocusable(element) &&
       !this.isDisabled(element) &&
+      !this.isInert(element) &&
       (config?.ignoreVisibility || this.isVisible(element))
     );
   }