@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 ### Bug Fixes
 
+-   Grid layout: Apply `inert` through `inertValue` so the attribute works reliably ([#84072](https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/84072)).
 -   Keep filter and item actions menus dismissible when their triggers become disabled ([#83791](https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/83791)).
 -   Grid layout: measure the container as the grid attaches rather than waiting for the resize observer's first report, so the grid no longer renders a frame with every item in a full-width column of its own before snapping to its real column count ([#83752](https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/pull/83752)).
 
 
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import {
 	useRef,
 	forwardRef,
 } from '@wordpress/element';
+import { inertValue } from '@wordpress/react-inert-value';
 import { MEDIA_ASPECT_RATIOS } from '../../../constants';
 import ItemActions from '../../dataviews-item-actions';
 import DataViewsSelectionCheckbox from '../../dataviews-selection-checkbox';
@@ -343,7 +344,7 @@ export default function CompositeGrid< Item >( {
 	data,
 	isInfiniteScroll,
 	className,
-	inert,
+	inert = false,
 	isLoading,
 	view,
 	fields,
@@ -453,7 +454,7 @@ export default function CompositeGrid< Item >( {
 						role="feed"
 						focusWrap
 						// @ts-expect-error `inert` is not declared in React 18's HTML attribute types.
-						inert={ inert }
+						inert={ inertValue( inert ) }
 					>
 						{ /* Render placeholders for unloaded items in first row */ }
 						{ Array.from( { length: placeholdersNeeded } ).map(
@@ -551,7 +552,7 @@ export default function CompositeGrid< Item >( {
 						aria-rowcount={ totalRows }
 						ref={ resizeObserverRef }
 						// @ts-expect-error `inert` is not declared in React 18's HTML attribute types.
-						inert={ inert }
+						inert={ inertValue( inert ) }
 					>
 						{ chunk( data, gridColumns ).map( ( row, i ) => (
 							<Composite.Row
 
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import clsx from 'clsx';
 import { Spinner } from '@wordpress/components';
 import { __, sprintf } from '@wordpress/i18n';
-import { inertValue } from '@wordpress/react-inert-value';
 import { Stack } from '@wordpress/ui';
 import type { ViewGridProps } from '../../../types';
 import getDataByGroup from '../utils/get-data-by-group';
@@ -63,7 +62,7 @@ function ViewGrid< Item >( {
 		className: clsx( className, {
 			'is-refreshing': ! isInfiniteScroll && isDelayedLoading,
 		} ),
-		inert: inertValue( ! isInfiniteScroll && isLoading ),
+		inert: ! isInfiniteScroll && !! isLoading,
 		isLoading,
 		view,
 		fields,