diff --git a/.changeset/application-keyboard.md b/.changeset/application-keyboard.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3210e90
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/application-keyboard.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@playcanvas/react": patch
+---
+
+`<Application>` now creates a `Keyboard` attached to the window, so `app.keyboard` is no longer `null` and scripts and hooks can read key state, for example `app.keyboard.isPressed(KEY_RIGHT)`. It is detached when the application is destroyed on unmount.
diff --git a/packages/lib/src/Application.keyboard.test.tsx b/packages/lib/src/Application.keyboard.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..57f6a29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/lib/src/Application.keyboard.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+import { fireEvent, render, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react';
+import type { RenderOptions } from '@testing-library/react';
+import type { Application as PlayCanvasApplication } from 'playcanvas';
+import { KEY_RIGHT, Keyboard } from 'playcanvas';
+import { useEffect } from 'react';
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+
+import { Application } from './Application.tsx';
+import { useApp } from './hooks/index.ts';
+
+// These tests run against the real engine. The mock in test/setup.ts builds a stand-in application
+// with its own input devices, so it never sees the keyboard that <Application> creates.
+vi.unmock('playcanvas');
+
+// Renders an application and resolves with the engine application once it has been created
+const renderApplication = async (options?: RenderOptions) => {
+    const onApp = vi.fn();
+    const CaptureApp = () => {
+        const app = useApp();
+        useEffect(() => onApp(app), [app]);
+        return null;
+    };
+
+    const result = render(
+        <Application deviceTypes={['null']}>
+            <CaptureApp />
+        </Application>,
+        options
+    );
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(onApp).toHaveBeenCalled());
+
+    return { ...result, app: onApp.mock.calls[0][0] as PlayCanvasApplication };
+};
+
+describe('Application keyboard', () => {
+    afterEach(() => {
+        vi.restoreAllMocks();
+    });
+
+    // Scripts and hooks read app.keyboard, for example to push a rigid body while a key is held
+    it('gives the application a keyboard that listens on the window', async () => {
+        const { app } = await renderApplication();
+
+        expect(app.keyboard).toBeInstanceOf(Keyboard);
+
+        fireEvent.keyDown(window, { keyCode: KEY_RIGHT });
+        expect(app.keyboard!.isPressed(KEY_RIGHT)).toBe(true);
+
+        fireEvent.keyUp(window, { keyCode: KEY_RIGHT });
+        expect(app.keyboard!.isPressed(KEY_RIGHT)).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('leaves one keyboard attached in StrictMode and detaches it on unmount', async () => {
+        const attach = vi.spyOn(Keyboard.prototype, 'attach');
+        const detach = vi.spyOn(Keyboard.prototype, 'detach');
+        const attached = () => attach.mock.contexts.filter((keyboard) => !detach.mock.contexts.includes(keyboard));
+
+        // StrictMode mounts, unmounts and remounts. The first mount is either abandoned before it
+        // creates an application (as here, where act() flushes the remount first) or its application
+        // is created and then destroyed (as in a browser). Either way, one keyboard stays attached.
+        const { app, unmount } = await renderApplication({ reactStrictMode: true });
+        const keyboard = app.keyboard!;
+
+        expect(attached()).toHaveLength(1);
+        expect(attached()[0]).toBe(keyboard);
+
+        unmount();
+
+        expect(attached()).toHaveLength(0);
+        expect(app.keyboard).toBeNull();
+
+        // Key presses no longer reach it
+        fireEvent.keyDown(window, { keyCode: KEY_RIGHT });
+        expect(keyboard.isPressed(KEY_RIGHT)).toBe(false);
+    });
+});
diff --git a/packages/lib/src/Application.tsx b/packages/lib/src/Application.tsx
index a499c73..a52ea0a 100644
--- a/packages/lib/src/Application.tsx
+++ b/packages/lib/src/Application.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
     Application as PlayCanvasApplication,
     Mouse,
     TouchDevice,
+    Keyboard,
     RESOLUTION_FIXED,
     DEVICETYPE_WEBGL2,
     DEVICETYPE_WEBGPU,
@@ -163,6 +164,9 @@ export const ApplicationWithoutCanvas: FC<ApplicationWithoutCanvasProps> = (prop
             const pcApp = new PlayCanvasApplication(canvas, {
                 mouse: new Mouse(canvas),
                 touch: new TouchDevice(canvas),
+                // On the window, as in the Editor and <pc-app>, so key presses register without the
+                // canvas having focus. Destroying the app detaches it.
+                keyboard: new Keyboard(window),
                 graphicsDevice: dev
             });
             pcApp.start();