diff --git a/packages/fluentui/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/fluentui/CHANGELOG.md
index 072f02d87b709d..e11c9d19bc6e7c 100644
--- a/packages/fluentui/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/fluentui/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ This project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.htm
 - Add a new comfy layout variation for `ChatMessage` @davezuko ([#23974](https://github.com/microsoft/fluentui/pull/23974))
 - Add `FocusTrapZone` prop `preventScrollOnRestoreFocus` to prevent scroll on focus when `FocusTrapZone` releases @yuanboxue-amber ([#24632](https://github.com/microsoft/fluentui/pull/24632))
 - Add new style to v0 Tooltip to match v9 Tooltip @GianoglioEnrico ([#24908](https://github.com/microsoft/fluentui/pull/24908))
+- Limit keyboard detection in inputs @jurokapsiar ([#25087](https://github.com/microsoft/fluentui/pull/25087))
 
 ### Fixes
 - Allow React 17 in `peerDependencies` of all packages and bump react-is to 17 @TristanWatanabe ([#24356](https://github.com/microsoft/fluentui/pull/24356))
diff --git a/packages/fluentui/react-northstar/src/components/Dropdown/Dropdown.tsx b/packages/fluentui/react-northstar/src/components/Dropdown/Dropdown.tsx
index 70ab574f0def0c..70184de809ce04 100644
--- a/packages/fluentui/react-northstar/src/components/Dropdown/Dropdown.tsx
+++ b/packages/fluentui/react-northstar/src/components/Dropdown/Dropdown.tsx
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ import {
   UIComponentProps,
   isFromKeyboard as detectIsFromKeyboard,
   createShorthand,
+  setWhatInputSource,
 } from '../../utils';
 import { List, ListProps } from '../List/List';
 import { DropdownItem, DropdownItemProps } from './DropdownItem';
@@ -1167,12 +1168,22 @@ export const Dropdown = (React.forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, DropdownProps>((props,
           case keyboardKey.ArrowLeft:
             e.stopPropagation();
             if (!context.rtl) {
+              // https://github.com/testing-library/user-event/issues/709
+              // JSDOM does not implement `event.view` so prune this code path in test
+              if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'test') {
+                setWhatInputSource(e.view.document, 'keyboard');
+              }
               trySetLastSelectedItemAsActive();
             }
             break;
           case keyboardKey.ArrowRight:
             e.stopPropagation();
             if (context.rtl) {
+              // https://github.com/testing-library/user-event/issues/709
+              // JSDOM does not implement `event.view` so prune this code path in test
+              if (process.env.NODE_ENV !== 'test') {
+                setWhatInputSource(e.view.document, 'keyboard');
+              }
               trySetLastSelectedItemAsActive();
             }
             break;
diff --git a/packages/fluentui/react-northstar/src/utils/whatInput.ts b/packages/fluentui/react-northstar/src/utils/whatInput.ts
index 422b1e5ea3e997..26b5685e4fff83 100644
--- a/packages/fluentui/react-northstar/src/utils/whatInput.ts
+++ b/packages/fluentui/react-northstar/src/utils/whatInput.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { isBrowser } from './isBrowser';
  */
 
 // last used input type
-let currentInput = 'initial';
+let currentInput = 'mouse'; // assume happy path
 
 // event buffer timer
 let eventTimer = null;
@@ -108,6 +108,26 @@ const addListeners = (eventTarget: Window) => {
   eventTarget.addEventListener('keyup', eventBuffer, true);
 };
 
+/**
+ *
+ * @param document document to apply the update to
+ * @param eventKey keyboard key passed from the event
+ * @returns true if mode should be switched, false if not (when an input-like element is focused, and the key was not a navigational key)
+ */
+const keyboardInputFocused = (document: Document, eventKey: number) => {
+  if (
+    document.activeElement.tagName === 'INPUT' ||
+    document.activeElement.tagName === 'TEXTAREA' ||
+    document.activeElement.getAttribute('contenteditable')
+  ) {
+    return (
+      eventKey === 9 || // tab
+      eventKey === 117
+    ); // F6
+  }
+  return true;
+};
+
 // checks conditions before updating new input
 const setInput = (event: WhatInputEvents) => {
   // only execute if the event buffer timer isn't running
@@ -120,7 +140,10 @@ const setInput = (event: WhatInputEvents) => {
     }
 
     const ignoreMatch = ignoreMap.indexOf(eventKey) === -1;
-    const shouldUpdate = (value === 'keyboard' && eventKey && ignoreMatch) || value === 'mouse' || value === 'touch';
+    const shouldUpdate =
+      (value === 'keyboard' && eventKey && ignoreMatch && keyboardInputFocused(event.view.document, eventKey)) ||
+      value === 'mouse' ||
+      value === 'touch';
 
     if (currentInput !== value && shouldUpdate) {
       currentInput = value;