diff --git a/packages/grid/x-data-grid/src/components/panel/GridColumnsPanel.tsx b/packages/grid/x-data-grid/src/components/panel/GridColumnsPanel.tsx
index 30ab1314ffd0..39c98609f340 100644
--- a/packages/grid/x-data-grid/src/components/panel/GridColumnsPanel.tsx
+++ b/packages/grid/x-data-grid/src/components/panel/GridColumnsPanel.tsx
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ import { GridPanelWrapper, GridPanelWrapperProps } from './GridPanelWrapper';
 import { GRID_EXPERIMENTAL_ENABLED } from '../../constants/envConstants';
 import { useGridRootProps } from '../../hooks/utils/useGridRootProps';
 import { DataGridProcessedProps } from '../../models/props/DataGridProps';
+import type { GridStateColDef } from '../../models/colDef/gridColDef';
 import { getDataGridUtilityClass } from '../../constants/gridClasses';
-import { GridStateColDef } from '../../models/colDef/gridColDef';
 
 type OwnerState = { classes: DataGridProcessedProps['classes'] };
 
@@ -67,6 +67,13 @@ export interface GridColumnsPanelProps extends GridPanelWrapperProps {
    */
   sort?: 'asc' | 'desc';
   searchPredicate?: (column: GridStateColDef, searchValue: string) => boolean;
+  /*
+   * If `true`, the column search field will be focused automatically.
+   * If `false`, the first column switch input will be focused automatically.
+   * This helps to avoid input keyboard panel to popup automatically on touch devices.
+   * @default true
+   */
+  autoFocusSearchField?: boolean;
 }
 
 const collator = new Intl.Collator();
@@ -88,7 +95,12 @@ function GridColumnsPanel(props: GridColumnsPanelProps) {
   const ownerState = { classes: rootProps.classes };
   const classes = useUtilityClasses(ownerState);
 
-  const { sort, searchPredicate = defaultSearchPredicate, ...other } = props;
+  const {
+    sort,
+    searchPredicate = defaultSearchPredicate,
+    autoFocusSearchField = true,
+    ...other
+  } = props;
 
   const sortedColumns = React.useMemo(() => {
     switch (sort) {
@@ -155,9 +167,24 @@ function GridColumnsPanel(props: GridColumnsPanelProps) {
     return sortedColumns.filter((column) => searchPredicate(column, searchValueToCheck));
   }, [sortedColumns, searchValue, searchPredicate]);
 
+  const firstSwitchRef = React.useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
+
   React.useEffect(() => {
-    searchInputRef.current!.focus();
-  }, []);
+    if (autoFocusSearchField) {
+      searchInputRef.current!.focus();
+    } else if (firstSwitchRef.current && typeof firstSwitchRef.current.focus === 'function') {
+      firstSwitchRef.current.focus();
+    }
+  }, [autoFocusSearchField]);
+
+  let firstHideableColumnFound = false;
+  const isFirstHideableColumn = (column: GridStateColDef) => {
+    if (firstHideableColumnFound === false && column.hideable !== false) {
+      firstHideableColumnFound = true;
+      return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+  };
 
   return (
     <GridPanelWrapper {...other}>
@@ -185,6 +212,7 @@ function GridColumnsPanel(props: GridColumnsPanelProps) {
                     onClick={toggleColumn}
                     name={column.field}
                     size="small"
+                    inputRef={isFirstHideableColumn(column) ? firstSwitchRef : undefined}
                     {...rootProps.componentsProps?.baseSwitch}
                   />
                 }
@@ -228,6 +256,7 @@ GridColumnsPanel.propTypes = {
   // | These PropTypes are generated from the TypeScript type definitions |
   // | To update them edit the TypeScript types and run "yarn proptypes"  |
   // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
+  autoFocusSearchField: PropTypes.bool,
   searchPredicate: PropTypes.func,
   sort: PropTypes.oneOf(['asc', 'desc']),
 } as any;
diff --git a/packages/grid/x-data-grid/src/tests/columnsVisibility.DataGrid.test.tsx b/packages/grid/x-data-grid/src/tests/columnsVisibility.DataGrid.test.tsx
index a2414a03f981..b4b9184f861d 100644
--- a/packages/grid/x-data-grid/src/tests/columnsVisibility.DataGrid.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/grid/x-data-grid/src/tests/columnsVisibility.DataGrid.test.tsx
@@ -259,4 +259,23 @@ describe('<DataGridPro /> - Columns Visibility', () => {
       expect(getColumnHeadersTextContent()).to.deep.equal(['id', 'idBis']);
     });
   });
+
+  it('should autofocus the first switch element in columns panel when `autoFocusSearchField` disabled', () => {
+    render(
+      <TestDataGrid
+        components={{
+          Toolbar: GridToolbar,
+        }}
+        componentsProps={{
+          columnsPanel: {
+            autoFocusSearchField: false,
+          },
+        }}
+      />,
+    );
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Select columns' }));
+
+    expect(screen.getByRole('checkbox', { name: columns[0].field })).toHaveFocus();
+  });
 });