$("#test").autocomplete({ minLength: 0, source: availableTags, autoFocus: true, select: function (event, ui) { if (ui.item) { event.preventDefault(); $(this).val(ui.item.label); } }, focus: function (event, ui) { event.preventDefault(); if ($(this).val() == "" && !event.keyCode) { $('.ui-menu-item a').removeClass('ui-state-focus'); } else { //$(this).data("uiAutocomplete").menu.element.children().first().focus(); } } }).on("focus", function () { $(this).autocomplete("search", ""); });