fix(material/chips): correct focus management on chip destruction

src/material/chips/chip-grid.spec.ts

@@ -180,6 +180,32 @@ describe('MatChipGrid', () => {
         expect(chipGridNativeElement.getAttribute('tabindex')).toBe('-1');
       });
 
+
+      it('should silently update the active item without stealing document focus when a focused chip is destroyed', fakeAsync(() => {
+        const fixture = createComponent(StandardChipGrid);
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+
+
+        chips.first.focus();
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+
+
+        const activeElementBeforeDeletion = document.activeElement;
+
+
+        fixture.componentInstance.foods.splice(0, 1);
+        fixture.detectChanges();
+        flush();
+
+
+        expect(chipGridInstance._keyManager.activeItemIndex).toBe(0);
+
+
+        expect(document.activeElement).not.toBe(chips.toArray()[1].nativeElement);
+      }));
+
+
+    });
       describe('on chip destroy', () => {
         it('should focus the next item', () => {
           const fixture = createComponent(StandardChipGrid);

src/material/chips/chip-grid.ts

@@ -492,6 +492,34 @@ export class MatChipGrid
     this.stateChanges.next();
   }
 
+  protected override _redirectDestroyedChipFocus() {
+    if (this._lastDestroyedFocusedChipIndex === null) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    if (this._chips.length) {
+      const newIndex =
+          Math.min(this._lastDestroyedFocusedChipIndex, this._chips.length - 1);
+      const chipToFocus = this._chips.toArray()[newIndex];
+
+      if (chipToFocus.disabled) {
+        if (this._chips.length === 1) {
+          this.focus();
+        } else {
+          this._keyManager.setPreviousItemActive();
+        }
+      } else {
+        // SILENT UPDATE: Fixes stale reference without stealing browser focus
+        this._keyManager.updateActiveItem(chipToFocus._getActions()[0]);
+      }
+    } else {
+      // No chips left. Clear the active item silently.
+      this._keyManager.updateActiveItem(-1);
+    }
+
+    this._lastDestroyedFocusedChipIndex = null;
+  }
+
   _focusLastChip() {
     if (this._chips.length) {
       this._chips.last.focus();

src/material/chips/chip-set.ts

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export class MatChipSet implements AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
   private _dir = inject(Directionality, {optional: true});
 
   /** Index of the last destroyed chip that had focus. */
-  private _lastDestroyedFocusedChipIndex: number | null = null;
+  protected _lastDestroyedFocusedChipIndex: number | null = null;
 
   /** Used to manage focus within the chip list. */
   protected _keyManager!: FocusKeyManager<MatChipAction>;
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ export class MatChipSet implements AfterViewInit, OnDestroy {
    * Finds the next appropriate chip to move focus to,
    * if the currently-focused chip is destroyed.
    */
-  private _redirectDestroyedChipFocus() {
+  protected _redirectDestroyedChipFocus() {
     if (this._lastDestroyedFocusedChipIndex == null) {
       return;
     }