diff --git a/cypress/integration/index.spec.js b/cypress/integration/index.spec.js
index 3feef1e..df50e65 100644
--- a/cypress/integration/index.spec.js
+++ b/cypress/integration/index.spec.js
@@ -15,6 +15,14 @@ function activateTrapWithButton(id) {
     .click()
 }
 
+function deactivateTrapWithButton(id) {
+  cy.get(`${id} .trap`)
+    .should('have.class', 'is-active')
+    .get(`${id} .trap > p > button`)
+    .first()
+    .click()
+}
+
 function assertActivatedTrap(id) {
   cy.get(`${id} .trap`).should('have.class', 'is-active')
 }
@@ -119,4 +127,14 @@ describe('focus trap vue', () => {
       assertActivatedTrap('#basic')
     })
   })
+
+  describe('method control of focus trap', () => {
+    it('allows control of trap via exposed methods', () => {
+      activateTrapWithButton('#methods')
+      assertActivatedTrap('#methods')
+
+      deactivateTrapWithButton('#methods')
+      assertDeactivatedTrap('#methods')
+    })
+  })
 })
diff --git a/demo/App.vue b/demo/App.vue
index bca79de..47f41b8 100644
--- a/demo/App.vue
+++ b/demo/App.vue
@@ -224,6 +224,41 @@
         </button>
       </p>
     </section>
+
+    <section id="methods">
+      <h2 id="methods-heading">exposed methods</h2>
+      <p>
+        Uses the methods exposed by the component (via $refs attachment) to activate and deactivate the focus trap
+      </p>
+      <p>
+        <button @click="() => $refs.methodsFocusTrap.activate()">activate trap</button>
+      </p>
+
+      <focus-trap
+        ref="methodsFocusTrap"
+        v-model:active="demos.methods.isActive"
+      >
+        <div class="trap" :class="demos.methods.isActive && 'is-active'">
+          <p>
+            Here is a focus trap
+            <a href="#">with</a>
+            <a href="#">some</a>
+            <a href="#">focusable</a> parts.
+          </p>
+          <p>
+            <label class="inline-label">
+              Initially focused input
+              <input ref="ieneInput" />
+            </label>
+          </p>
+          <p>
+            <button @click="() => $refs.methodsFocusTrap.deactivate()">
+              deactivate trap via method call
+            </button>
+          </p>
+        </div>
+      </focus-trap>
+    </section>
   </div>
 </template>
 
@@ -252,6 +287,9 @@ export default {
           isActive: false,
           clickOutsideEnabled: false,
           allowOutsideClick: () =>  this.demos.aoc.clickOutsideEnabled
+        },
+        methods: {
+          isActive: false,
         }
       },
     }
diff --git a/src/FocusTrap.ts b/src/FocusTrap.ts
index edd6ebe..10b7349 100644
--- a/src/FocusTrap.ts
+++ b/src/FocusTrap.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
 } from 'vue'
 import {
   createFocusTrap,
+  FocusTarget,
   FocusTrap as FocusTrapI,
   MouseEventToBoolean,
 } from 'focus-trap'
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ export const FocusTrap = defineComponent({
       default: false,
     },
     initialFocus: {
-      type: [String, Function] as PropType<string | (() => HTMLElement)>,
+      type: [String, Function] as PropType<FocusTarget>,
     },
     fallbackFocus: {
       type: [String, Function] as PropType<string | (() => HTMLElement)>,
@@ -47,40 +48,50 @@ export const FocusTrap = defineComponent({
 
   emits: ['update:active', 'activate', 'deactivate'],
 
-  setup(props, { slots, emit }) {
+  setup(props, { slots, emit, expose }) {
     let trap: FocusTrapI | null
     const el = ref<HTMLElement | null>(null)
 
+    const ensureTrap = () => {
+      if (trap) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      const { initialFocus } = props
+      trap = createFocusTrap(el.value as HTMLElement, {
+        escapeDeactivates: props.escapeDeactivates,
+        allowOutsideClick: event =>
+          typeof props.allowOutsideClick === 'function'
+            ? props.allowOutsideClick(event)
+            : props.allowOutsideClick,
+        returnFocusOnDeactivate: props.returnFocusOnDeactivate,
+        clickOutsideDeactivates: props.clickOutsideDeactivates,
+        onActivate: () => {
+          emit('update:active', true)
+          emit('activate')
+        },
+        onDeactivate: () => {
+          emit('update:active', false)
+          emit('deactivate')
+        },
+        initialFocus: initialFocus
+          ? typeof initialFocus === 'function'
+            ? initialFocus()
+            : initialFocus
+          : (el.value as HTMLElement),
+        fallbackFocus: props.fallbackFocus,
+      })
+    }
+
     onMounted(() => {
       watch(
         () => props.active,
         active => {
-          const { initialFocus } = props
           if (active && el.value) {
             // has no effect if already activated
-            trap = createFocusTrap(el.value, {
-              escapeDeactivates: props.escapeDeactivates,
-              allowOutsideClick: event =>
-                typeof props.allowOutsideClick === 'function'
-                  ? props.allowOutsideClick(event)
-                  : props.allowOutsideClick,
-              returnFocusOnDeactivate: props.returnFocusOnDeactivate,
-              clickOutsideDeactivates: props.clickOutsideDeactivates,
-              onActivate: () => {
-                emit('update:active', true)
-                emit('activate')
-              },
-              onDeactivate: () => {
-                emit('update:active', false)
-                emit('deactivate')
-              },
-              initialFocus: initialFocus
-                ? typeof initialFocus === 'function'
-                  ? initialFocus()
-                  : initialFocus
-                : el.value,
-              fallbackFocus: props.fallbackFocus,
-            })
+            ensureTrap()
+
+            // @ts-ignore
             trap.activate()
           } else if (trap) {
             trap.deactivate()
@@ -95,6 +106,17 @@ export const FocusTrap = defineComponent({
       trap = null
     })
 
+    expose({
+      activate() {
+        ensureTrap()
+        // @ts-ignore
+        trap.activate()
+      },
+      deactivate() {
+        trap && trap.deactivate()
+      },
+    })
+
     return () => {
       if (!slots.default) return null