diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/special-keys-panel.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/special-keys-panel.tsx
index a7c368a..ed604a0 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/special-keys-panel.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/special-keys-panel.tsx
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export const SpecialKeysPanel: React.FC<SpecialKeysPanelProps> = ({
   onClose,
   onKeepFocus,
 }) => {
-  const { sendKey } = useSpecialKeys({ onSend });
+  const { sendKey, clearModifier } = useSpecialKeys({ onSend });
 
   if (!isOpen) return null;
 
@@ -47,14 +47,29 @@ export const SpecialKeysPanel: React.FC<SpecialKeysPanelProps> = ({
     e.preventDefault();
     sendKey(key);
     onClose();
-    onKeepFocus?.();
+    // Always refocus terminal after sending
+    requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+      onKeepFocus?.();
+    });
+  };
+
+  const handleOverlayPointerDown = (e: React.PointerEvent) => {
+    e.preventDefault();
+    clearModifier();
+    onClose();
+    requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+      onKeepFocus?.();
+    });
   };
 
   return (
-    <div className="special-keys-panel-overlay" onClick={onClose}>
+    <div
+      className="special-keys-panel-overlay"
+      onPointerDown={handleOverlayPointerDown}
+    >
       <div
         className="special-keys-panel"
-        onClick={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
+        onPointerDown={(e) => e.stopPropagation()}
       >
         <div className="special-keys-panel-section">
           {EXPANDED_KEYS.map(({ key, label }) => (
@@ -62,7 +77,6 @@ export const SpecialKeysPanel: React.FC<SpecialKeysPanelProps> = ({
               key={key}
               className="special-key-button"
               onPointerDown={(e) => handlePointerDown(e, key)}
-              onFocus={(e) => e.target.blur()}
               type="button"
               tabIndex={-1}
             >
@@ -77,7 +91,6 @@ export const SpecialKeysPanel: React.FC<SpecialKeysPanelProps> = ({
               key={key}
               className="special-key-button"
               onPointerDown={(e) => handlePointerDown(e, key)}
-              onFocus={(e) => e.target.blur()}
               type="button"
               tabIndex={-1}
             >
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/special-keys-strip.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/special-keys-strip.tsx
index 70e77df..6fed01c 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/special-keys-strip.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/special-keys-strip.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import React from "react";
-import { useSpecialKeys, type SpecialKey } from "../hooks/use-special-keys";
+import { useSpecialKeys, type SpecialKey, type ModifierKey } from "../hooks/use-special-keys";
 
 interface SpecialKeysStripProps {
   onSend: (data: string) => void;
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@ interface SpecialKeysStripProps {
   onKeepFocus?: () => void;
 }
 
-const PRIMARY_KEYS: { key: SpecialKey; label: string }[] = [
+const PRIMARY_KEYS: { key: SpecialKey; label: string; isModifier?: boolean }[] = [
   { key: "escape", label: "Esc" },
   { key: "tab", label: "Tab" },
-  { key: "ctrl", label: "Ctrl" },
-  { key: "alt", label: "Alt" },
+  { key: "ctrl", label: "Ctrl", isModifier: true },
+  { key: "alt", label: "Alt", isModifier: true },
   { key: "up", label: "↑" },
   { key: "down", label: "↓" },
   { key: "left", label: "←" },
@@ -25,31 +25,38 @@ export const SpecialKeysStrip: React.FC<SpecialKeysStripProps> = ({
   onMoreClick,
   onKeepFocus,
 }) => {
-  const { sendKey } = useSpecialKeys({ onSend });
+  const { sendKey, activeModifier } = useSpecialKeys({ onSend });
 
   const handlePointerDown = (e: React.PointerEvent, key: SpecialKey) => {
     e.preventDefault();
     sendKey(key);
-    onKeepFocus?.();
+    // Always refocus terminal after sending
+    requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+      onKeepFocus?.();
+    });
   };
 
   const handleMorePointerDown = (e: React.PointerEvent) => {
     e.preventDefault();
     onMoreClick?.();
-    onKeepFocus?.();
+    requestAnimationFrame(() => {
+      onKeepFocus?.();
+    });
   };
 
   return (
     <div className={`special-keys-strip ${isVisible ? "visible" : "hidden"}`}>
-      {PRIMARY_KEYS.map(({ key, label }) => (
+      {PRIMARY_KEYS.map(({ key, label, isModifier }) => (
         <button
           key={key}
-          className="special-key-button"
+          className={`special-key-button ${
+            isModifier && activeModifier === key ? "active-modifier" : ""
+          }`}
           onPointerDown={(e) => handlePointerDown(e, key)}
-          onFocus={(e) => e.target.blur()}
           type="button"
           tabIndex={-1}
           aria-label={`Send ${label}`}
+          aria-pressed={isModifier && activeModifier === key}
         >
           {label}
         </button>
@@ -58,7 +65,6 @@ export const SpecialKeysStrip: React.FC<SpecialKeysStripProps> = ({
         <button
           className="special-key-button special-key-more"
           onPointerDown={handleMorePointerDown}
-          onFocus={(e) => e.target.blur()}
           type="button"
           tabIndex={-1}
           aria-label="More special keys"
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/terminal.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/terminal.tsx
index 08a5776..5d14d55 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/terminal.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/terminal.tsx
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ export const TerminalComponent: React.FC<TerminalProps> = ({
         }
       };
       const focusInput = () => {
-        hiddenInputRef.current?.focus();
+        termRef.current?.focus();
       };
       onTerminalReadyRef.current(sendData, status, focusInput);
     }
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ export const TerminalComponent: React.FC<TerminalProps> = ({
         }
       };
       const focusInput = () => {
-        hiddenInputRef.current?.focus();
+        termRef.current?.focus();
       };
       onTerminalReady(sendData, status, focusInput);
     }
diff --git a/apps/web/src/hooks/use-special-keys.ts b/apps/web/src/hooks/use-special-keys.ts
index c0527c4..d15644c 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/hooks/use-special-keys.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/hooks/use-special-keys.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useCallback } from "react";
+import { useState, useCallback } from "react";
 
 export type SpecialKey =
   | "escape"
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ export type SpecialKey =
   | "f11"
   | "f12";
 
+export type ModifierKey = "ctrl" | "alt";
+
 const KEY_SEQUENCES: Record<SpecialKey, string> = {
   escape: "\x1B",
   tab: "\t",
@@ -59,22 +61,89 @@ const KEY_SEQUENCES: Record<SpecialKey, string> = {
   f12: "\x1B[24~",
 };
 
+// Single character sequences with modifier prefixes
+const MODIFIER_PREFIXES: Record<string, { ctrl: string; alt: string; ctrlAlt: string }> = {
+  // Letters
+  a: { ctrl: "\x01", alt: "\x1Ba", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x01" },
+  b: { ctrl: "\x02", alt: "\x1Bb", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x02" },
+  c: { ctrl: "\x03", alt: "\x1Bc", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x03" },
+  d: { ctrl: "\x04", alt: "\x1Bd", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x04" },
+  e: { ctrl: "\x05", alt: "\x1Be", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x05" },
+  f: { ctrl: "\x06", alt: "\x1Bf", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x06" },
+  g: { ctrl: "\x07", alt: "\x1Bg", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x07" },
+  h: { ctrl: "\x08", alt: "\x1Bh", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x08" },
+  i: { ctrl: "\x09", alt: "\x1Bi", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x09" },
+  j: { ctrl: "\x0A", alt: "\x1Bj", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x0A" },
+  k: { ctrl: "\x0B", alt: "\x1Bk", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x0B" },
+  l: { ctrl: "\x0C", alt: "\x1Bl", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x0C" },
+  m: { ctrl: "\x0D", alt: "\x1Bm", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x0D" },
+  n: { ctrl: "\x0E", alt: "\x1Bn", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x0E" },
+  o: { ctrl: "\x0F", alt: "\x1Bo", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x0F" },
+  p: { ctrl: "\x10", alt: "\x1Bp", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x10" },
+  q: { ctrl: "\x11", alt: "\x1Bq", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x11" },
+  r: { ctrl: "\x12", alt: "\x1Br", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x12" },
+  s: { ctrl: "\x13", alt: "\x1Bs", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x13" },
+  t: { ctrl: "\x14", alt: "\x1Bt", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x14" },
+  u: { ctrl: "\x15", alt: "\x1Bu", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x15" },
+  v: { ctrl: "\x16", alt: "\x1Bv", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x16" },
+  w: { ctrl: "\x17", alt: "\x1Bw", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x17" },
+  x: { ctrl: "\x18", alt: "\x1Bx", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x18" },
+  y: { ctrl: "\x19", alt: "\x1By", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x19" },
+  z: { ctrl: "\x1A", alt: "\x1Bz", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x1A" },
+  // Numbers
+  "0": { ctrl: "0", alt: "\x1B0", ctrlAlt: "\x1B0" },
+  "1": { ctrl: "1", alt: "\x1B1", ctrlAlt: "\x1B1" },
+  "2": { ctrl: "\x00", alt: "\x1B2", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x00" },
+  "3": { ctrl: "\x1B", alt: "\x1B3", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x1B" },
+  "4": { ctrl: "\x1C", alt: "\x1B4", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x1C" },
+  "5": { ctrl: "\x1D", alt: "\x1B5", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x1D" },
+  "6": { ctrl: "\x1E", alt: "\x1B6", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x1E" },
+  "7": { ctrl: "\x1F", alt: "\x1B7", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x1F" },
+  "8": { ctrl: "\x7F", alt: "\x1B8", ctrlAlt: "\x1B\x7F" },
+  "9": { ctrl: "9", alt: "\x1B9", ctrlAlt: "\x1B9" },
+};
+
 interface UseSpecialKeysOptions {
   onSend: (data: string) => void;
 }
 
 export function useSpecialKeys({ onSend }: UseSpecialKeysOptions) {
+  const [activeModifier, setActiveModifier] = useState<ModifierKey | null>(null);
+
   const sendKey = useCallback(
     (key: SpecialKey) => {
-      const sequence = KEY_SEQUENCES[key];
-      if (sequence) {
-        onSend(sequence);
+      // Handle modifier keys (one-shot)
+      if (key === "ctrl" || key === "alt") {
+        // Toggle modifier
+        setActiveModifier((current) => (current === key ? null : key));
+        return;
       }
+
+      const sequence = KEY_SEQUENCES[key];
+      if (!sequence) return;
+
+      // Check if we have an active modifier and the key is a single character
+      if (activeModifier && sequence.length === 1) {
+        const char = sequence;
+        const mapping = MODIFIER_PREFIXES[char.toLowerCase()];
+        if (mapping) {
+          onSend(mapping[activeModifier]);
+          setActiveModifier(null);
+          return;
+        }
+      }
+
+      onSend(sequence);
+      setActiveModifier(null);
     },
-    [onSend]
+    [onSend, activeModifier]
   );
 
-  return { sendKey };
+  const clearModifier = useCallback(() => {
+    setActiveModifier(null);
+  }, []);
+
+  return { sendKey, activeModifier, clearModifier };
 }
 
 export { KEY_SEQUENCES };
diff --git a/apps/web/src/styles.css b/apps/web/src/styles.css
index 45cd55c..d8c6a6d 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/styles.css
+++ b/apps/web/src/styles.css
@@ -3119,6 +3119,14 @@ a.nav-item,
   background: #1e5fa8;
 }
 
+.special-key-button.active-modifier {
+  background: #f5f543;
+  color: #1e1e1e;
+  border-color: #f5f543;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  box-shadow: 0 0 8px rgba(245, 245, 67, 0.5);
+}
+
 /* Special Keys Panel */
 .special-keys-panel-overlay {
   position: fixed;