diff --git a/src/lib/autocomplete/autocomplete-trigger.ts b/src/lib/autocomplete/autocomplete-trigger.ts
index ca504db2cac1..792943346d87 100644
--- a/src/lib/autocomplete/autocomplete-trigger.ts
+++ b/src/lib/autocomplete/autocomplete-trigger.ts
@@ -525,9 +525,12 @@ export class MatAutocompleteTrigger implements ControlValueAccessor, OnDestroy {
     return this._getConnectedElement().nativeElement.getBoundingClientRect().width;
   }
 
-  /** Reset active item to -1 so arrow events will activate the correct options. */
+  /**
+   * Resets the active item to -1 so arrow events will activate the
+   * correct options, or to 0 if the consumer opted into it.
+   */
   private _resetActiveItem(): void {
-    this.autocomplete._keyManager.setActiveItem(-1);
+    this.autocomplete._keyManager.setActiveItem(this.autocomplete.autoActiveFirstOption ? 0 : -1);
   }
 
   /** Determines whether the panel can be opened. */
diff --git a/src/lib/autocomplete/autocomplete.spec.ts b/src/lib/autocomplete/autocomplete.spec.ts
index 1c16c6ecea21..02ddd3d65515 100644
--- a/src/lib/autocomplete/autocomplete.spec.ts
+++ b/src/lib/autocomplete/autocomplete.spec.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import {Direction, Directionality} from '@angular/cdk/bidi';
+import {Directionality} from '@angular/cdk/bidi';
 import {DOWN_ARROW, ENTER, ESCAPE, SPACE, UP_ARROW, TAB} from '@angular/cdk/keycodes';
 import {OverlayContainer, Overlay} from '@angular/cdk/overlay';
 import {map} from 'rxjs/operators/map';
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import {
   ViewChild,
   ViewChildren,
   NgZone,
+  Provider,
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {
   async,
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ import {
   MatAutocompleteSelectedEvent,
   MatAutocompleteTrigger,
   MAT_AUTOCOMPLETE_SCROLL_STRATEGY,
+  MAT_AUTOCOMPLETE_DEFAULT_OPTIONS,
 } from './index';
 
 
@@ -56,7 +58,7 @@ describe('MatAutocomplete', () => {
   let zone: MockNgZone;
 
   // Creates a test component fixture.
-  function createComponent(component: any, dir: Direction = 'ltr'): ComponentFixture<any> {
+  function createComponent(component: any, providers: Provider[] = []): ComponentFixture<any> {
     TestBed.configureTestingModule({
       imports: [
         MatAutocompleteModule,
@@ -68,14 +70,14 @@ describe('MatAutocomplete', () => {
       ],
       declarations: [component],
       providers: [
-        {provide: Directionality, useFactory: () => ({value: dir})},
         {provide: ScrollDispatcher, useFactory: () => ({
           scrolled: () => scrolledSubject.asObservable()
         })},
         {provide: NgZone, useFactory: () => {
           zone = new MockNgZone();
           return zone;
-        }}
+        }},
+        ...providers
       ]
     });
 
@@ -410,9 +412,11 @@ describe('MatAutocomplete', () => {
   });
 
   it('should have the correct text direction in RTL', () => {
-    const rtlFixture = createComponent(SimpleAutocomplete, 'rtl');
-    rtlFixture.detectChanges();
+    const rtlFixture = createComponent(SimpleAutocomplete, [
+      {provide: Directionality, useFactory: () => ({value: 'rtl'})},
+    ]);
 
+    rtlFixture.detectChanges();
     rtlFixture.componentInstance.trigger.openPanel();
     rtlFixture.detectChanges();
 
@@ -1291,12 +1295,12 @@ describe('MatAutocomplete', () => {
     beforeEach(() => {
       fixture = createComponent(SimpleAutocomplete);
       fixture.detectChanges();
+    });
 
+    it('should deselect any other selected option', fakeAsync(() => {
       fixture.componentInstance.trigger.openPanel();
       fixture.detectChanges();
-    });
 
-    it('should deselect any other selected option', fakeAsync(() => {
       let options =
           overlayContainerElement.querySelectorAll('mat-option') as NodeListOf<HTMLElement>;
       options[0].click();
@@ -1320,6 +1324,9 @@ describe('MatAutocomplete', () => {
     }));
 
     it('should call deselect only on the previous selected option', fakeAsync(() => {
+      fixture.componentInstance.trigger.openPanel();
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
       let options =
           overlayContainerElement.querySelectorAll('mat-option') as NodeListOf<HTMLElement>;
       options[0].click();
@@ -1342,15 +1349,33 @@ describe('MatAutocomplete', () => {
       componentOptions.slice(1).forEach(option => expect(option.deselect).not.toHaveBeenCalled());
     }));
 
-    it('should emit an event when an option is selected', fakeAsync(() => {
-      const spy = jasmine.createSpy('option selection spy');
-      const subscription = fixture.componentInstance.trigger.optionSelections.subscribe(spy);
-      const option = overlayContainerElement.querySelector('mat-option') as HTMLElement;
-      option.click();
+    it('should be able to preselect the first option', fakeAsync(() => {
+      fixture.componentInstance.trigger.autocomplete.autoActiveFirstOption = true;
+      fixture.componentInstance.trigger.openPanel();
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      zone.simulateZoneExit();
       fixture.detectChanges();
 
-      expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(jasmine.any(MatOptionSelectionChange));
-      subscription.unsubscribe();
+      expect(overlayContainerElement.querySelectorAll('mat-option')[0].classList)
+          .toContain('mat-active', 'Expected first option to be highlighted.');
+    }));
+
+    it('should be able to configure preselecting the first option globally', fakeAsync(() => {
+      overlayContainer.ngOnDestroy();
+      fixture.destroy();
+      TestBed.resetTestingModule();
+      fixture = createComponent(SimpleAutocomplete, [
+        {provide: MAT_AUTOCOMPLETE_DEFAULT_OPTIONS, useValue: {autoActiveFirstOption: true}}
+      ]);
+
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      fixture.componentInstance.trigger.openPanel();
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+      zone.simulateZoneExit();
+      fixture.detectChanges();
+
+      expect(overlayContainerElement.querySelectorAll('mat-option')[0].classList)
+          .toContain('mat-active', 'Expected first option to be highlighted.');
     }));
 
     it('should handle `optionSelections` being accessed too early', fakeAsync(() => {
@@ -1743,8 +1768,8 @@ describe('MatAutocomplete', () => {
       <input matInput placeholder="State" [matAutocomplete]="auto" [formControl]="stateCtrl">
     </mat-form-field>
 
-    <mat-autocomplete class="class-one class-two" #auto="matAutocomplete"
-      [displayWith]="displayFn" [disableRipple]="disableRipple">
+    <mat-autocomplete class="class-one class-two" #auto="matAutocomplete" [displayWith]="displayFn"
+      [disableRipple]="disableRipple">
       <mat-option *ngFor="let state of filteredStates" [value]="state">
         <span> {{ state.code }}: {{ state.name }}  </span>
       </mat-option>
diff --git a/src/lib/autocomplete/autocomplete.ts b/src/lib/autocomplete/autocomplete.ts
index 593e230c3fb0..20a8a4e8a950 100644
--- a/src/lib/autocomplete/autocomplete.ts
+++ b/src/lib/autocomplete/autocomplete.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ import {
   ChangeDetectionStrategy,
   EventEmitter,
   Output,
+  InjectionToken,
+  Inject,
+  Optional,
 } from '@angular/core';
 import {
   MatOption,
@@ -28,6 +31,7 @@ import {
   CanDisableRipple,
 } from '@angular/material/core';
 import {ActiveDescendantKeyManager} from '@angular/cdk/a11y';
+import {coerceBooleanProperty} from '@angular/cdk/coercion';
 
 
 /**
@@ -50,6 +54,16 @@ export class MatAutocompleteSelectedEvent {
 export class MatAutocompleteBase {}
 export const _MatAutocompleteMixinBase = mixinDisableRipple(MatAutocompleteBase);
 
+/** Default `mat-autocomplete` options that can be overridden. */
+export interface MatAutocompleteDefaultOptions {
+  /** Whether the first option should be highlighted when an autocomplete panel is opened. */
+  autoActiveFirstOption?: boolean;
+}
+
+/** Injection token to be used to override the default options for `mat-autocomplete`. */
+export const MAT_AUTOCOMPLETE_DEFAULT_OPTIONS =
+    new InjectionToken<MatAutocompleteDefaultOptions>('mat-autocomplete-default-options');
+
 
 @Component({
   moduleId: module.id,
@@ -98,6 +112,18 @@ export class MatAutocomplete extends _MatAutocompleteMixinBase implements AfterC
   /** Function that maps an option's control value to its display value in the trigger. */
   @Input() displayWith: ((value: any) => string) | null = null;
 
+  /**
+   * Whether the first option should be highlighted when the autocomplete panel is opened.
+   * Can be configured globally through the `MAT_AUTOCOMPLETE_DEFAULT_OPTIONS` token.
+   */
+  @Input()
+  get autoActiveFirstOption(): boolean { return this._autoActiveFirstOption; }
+  set autoActiveFirstOption(value: boolean) {
+    this._autoActiveFirstOption = coerceBooleanProperty(value);
+  }
+  private _autoActiveFirstOption: boolean;
+
+
   /** Event that is emitted whenever an option from the list is selected. */
   @Output() readonly optionSelected: EventEmitter<MatAutocompleteSelectedEvent> =
       new EventEmitter<MatAutocompleteSelectedEvent>();
@@ -118,8 +144,19 @@ export class MatAutocomplete extends _MatAutocompleteMixinBase implements AfterC
   /** Unique ID to be used by autocomplete trigger's "aria-owns" property. */
   id: string = `mat-autocomplete-${_uniqueAutocompleteIdCounter++}`;
 
-  constructor(private _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef, private _elementRef: ElementRef) {
+  constructor(
+    private _changeDetectorRef: ChangeDetectorRef,
+    private _elementRef: ElementRef,
+
+    // @deletion-target Turn into required param in 6.0.0
+    @Optional() @Inject(MAT_AUTOCOMPLETE_DEFAULT_OPTIONS)
+        defaults?: MatAutocompleteDefaultOptions) {
     super();
+
+    this._autoActiveFirstOption = defaults &&
+        typeof defaults.autoActiveFirstOption !== 'undefined' ?
+            defaults.autoActiveFirstOption :
+            false;
   }
 
   ngAfterContentInit() {