diff --git a/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitter.Events.cs b/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitter.Events.cs
index 0f936ea30ff..e79effd3768 100644
--- a/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitter.Events.cs
+++ b/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitter.Events.cs
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@
 using Windows.System;
 using Windows.UI.Core;
 using Windows.UI.Xaml;
+using Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls;
 using Windows.UI.Xaml.Input;
+using Windows.UI.Xaml.Media;
 
 namespace Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls
 {
@@ -22,31 +24,23 @@ namespace Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls
     /// </summary>
     public partial class GridSplitter
     {
+        // Symbols for GripperBar in Segoe MDL2 Assets
+        private const string GripperBarVertical = "\xE784";
+        private const string GripperBarHorizontal = "\xE76F";
+        private const string GripperDisplayFont = "Segoe MDL2 Assets";
+
         private void GridSplitter_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
         {
             _resizeDirection = GetResizeDirection();
             _resizeBehavior = GetResizeBehavior();
 
-            GridSplitterGripper gripper;
-
             // Adding Grip to Grid Splitter
             if (Element == default(UIElement))
             {
-                gripper = new GridSplitterGripper(
-                    _resizeDirection,
-                    GripperForeground);
-            }
-            else
-            {
-                var content = Element;
-                Element = null;
-                gripper = new GridSplitterGripper(content, _resizeDirection);
+                CreateGripperDisplay();
+                Element = _gripperDisplay;
             }
 
-            Element = gripper;
-
-            gripper.KeyDown += Gripper_KeyDown;
-
             var hoverWrapper = new GripperHoverWrapper(
                 CursorBehavior == SplitterCursorBehavior.ChangeOnSplitterHover
                 ? this
@@ -60,15 +54,24 @@ private void GridSplitter_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
             _hoverWrapper = hoverWrapper;
         }
 
-        private void Gripper_KeyDown(object sender, KeyRoutedEventArgs e)
+        private void CreateGripperDisplay()
         {
-            var gripper = sender as GridSplitterGripper;
-
-            if (gripper == null)
+            if (_gripperDisplay == null)
             {
-                return;
+                _gripperDisplay = new TextBlock
+                {
+                    FontFamily = new FontFamily(GripperDisplayFont),
+                    HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Center,
+                    VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Center,
+                    Foreground = GripperForeground,
+                    Text = _resizeDirection == GridResizeDirection.Columns ? GripperBarVertical : GripperBarHorizontal
+                };
             }
+        }
 
+        /// <inheritdoc />
+        protected override void OnKeyDown(KeyRoutedEventArgs e)
+        {
             var step = 1;
             var ctrl = Window.Current.CoreWindow.GetKeyState(VirtualKey.Control);
             if (ctrl.HasFlag(CoreVirtualKeyStates.Down))
@@ -76,7 +79,7 @@ private void Gripper_KeyDown(object sender, KeyRoutedEventArgs e)
                 step = 5;
             }
 
-            if (gripper.ResizeDirection == GridResizeDirection.Columns)
+            if (_resizeDirection == GridResizeDirection.Columns)
             {
                 if (e.Key == VirtualKey.Left)
                 {
@@ -95,7 +98,7 @@ private void Gripper_KeyDown(object sender, KeyRoutedEventArgs e)
                 return;
             }
 
-            if (gripper.ResizeDirection == GridResizeDirection.Rows)
+            if (_resizeDirection == GridResizeDirection.Rows)
             {
                 if (e.Key == VirtualKey.Up)
                 {
@@ -112,6 +115,8 @@ private void Gripper_KeyDown(object sender, KeyRoutedEventArgs e)
 
                 e.Handled = true;
             }
+
+            base.OnKeyDown(e);
         }
 
         /// <inheritdoc />
diff --git a/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitter.Options.cs b/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitter.Options.cs
index de2ccffcfa7..9ba47d4ff62 100644
--- a/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitter.Options.cs
+++ b/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitter.Options.cs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 using Windows.UI.Core;
 using Windows.UI.Xaml;
+using Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls;
 using Windows.UI.Xaml.Media;
 
 namespace Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls
@@ -180,11 +181,13 @@ public SplitterCursorBehavior CursorBehavior
         private static void OnGripperForegroundPropertyChanged(DependencyObject d, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
         {
             var gridSplitter = (GridSplitter)d;
-            var grip = gridSplitter.Element as GridSplitterGripper;
-            if (grip != null)
+
+            if (gridSplitter._gripperDisplay == null)
             {
-                grip.GripperForeground = gridSplitter.GripperForeground;
+                return;
             }
+
+            gridSplitter._gripperDisplay.Foreground = gridSplitter.GripperForeground;
         }
 
         private static void OnGripperCursorPropertyChanged(DependencyObject d, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
diff --git a/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitter.cs b/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitter.cs
index 93c8553ab6a..bd847824b14 100644
--- a/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitter.cs
+++ b/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitter.cs
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ public partial class GridSplitter : Control
         private GridResizeDirection _resizeDirection;
         private GridResizeBehavior _resizeBehavior;
         private GripperHoverWrapper _hoverWrapper;
+        private TextBlock _gripperDisplay;
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets the target parent grid from level
diff --git a/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitter.xaml b/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitter.xaml
index 83941258f32..009a8cbb193 100644
--- a/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitter.xaml
+++ b/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitter.xaml
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@
                     xmlns:local="using:Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls">
 
     <Style TargetType="local:GridSplitter">
-        <Setter Property="IsTabStop" Value="False"></Setter>
+        <Setter Property="IsTabStop" Value="True"></Setter>
+        <Setter Property="UseSystemFocusVisuals" Value="True"></Setter>
+        <Setter Property="IsFocusEngagementEnabled" Value="True"></Setter>
         <Setter Property="Template">
             <Setter.Value>
                 <ControlTemplate TargetType="local:GridSplitter">
                     <Grid Background="{TemplateBinding Background}">
-                        <ContentPresenter Content="{TemplateBinding Element}" />
+                        <ContentPresenter Content="{TemplateBinding Element}" HorizontalContentAlignment="Stretch" VerticalContentAlignment="Stretch" />
                     </Grid>
                 </ControlTemplate>
             </Setter.Value>
diff --git a/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitterGripper.cs b/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitterGripper.cs
deleted file mode 100644
index b34601c664d..00000000000
--- a/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/GridSplitter/GridSplitterGripper.cs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,85 +0,0 @@
-// ******************************************************************
-// Copyright (c) Microsoft. All rights reserved.
-// This code is licensed under the MIT License (MIT).
-// THE CODE IS PROVIDED “AS IS”, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
-// INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
-// FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.
-// IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM,
-// DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT,
-// TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH
-// THE CODE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE CODE.
-// ******************************************************************
-
-using Windows.UI.Xaml;
-using Windows.UI.Xaml.Controls;
-using Windows.UI.Xaml.Media;
-
-namespace Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls
-{
-    internal class GridSplitterGripper : ContentControl
-    {
-        // Symbol GripperBarVertical in Segoe MDL2 Assets
-        private const string GripperBarVertical = "\xE784";
-
-        // Symbol GripperBarHorizontal in Segoe MDL2 Assets
-        private const string GripperBarHorizontal = "\xE76F";
-        private const string GripperDisplayFont = "Segoe MDL2 Assets";
-        private readonly TextBlock _gripperDisplay;
-
-        public GridSplitter.GridResizeDirection ResizeDirection { get; private set; }
-
-        internal Brush GripperForeground
-        {
-            set
-            {
-                if (_gripperDisplay == null)
-                {
-                    return;
-                }
-
-                _gripperDisplay.Foreground = value;
-            }
-        }
-
-        internal GridSplitterGripper(GridSplitter.GridResizeDirection gridSplitterDirection)
-        {
-            ResizeDirection = gridSplitterDirection;
-            HorizontalContentAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Stretch;
-            VerticalContentAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Stretch;
-            IsTabStop = true;
-            UseSystemFocusVisuals = true;
-            IsFocusEngagementEnabled = true;
-        }
-
-        internal GridSplitterGripper(
-            GridSplitter.GridResizeDirection gridSplitterDirection,
-            Brush gripForeground)
-            : this(gridSplitterDirection)
-        {
-            _gripperDisplay = new TextBlock
-            {
-                FontFamily = new FontFamily(GripperDisplayFont),
-                HorizontalAlignment = HorizontalAlignment.Center,
-                VerticalAlignment = VerticalAlignment.Center,
-                Foreground = gripForeground
-            };
-
-            if (gridSplitterDirection == GridSplitter.GridResizeDirection.Columns)
-            {
-                _gripperDisplay.Text = GripperBarVertical;
-            }
-            else if (gridSplitterDirection == GridSplitter.GridResizeDirection.Rows)
-            {
-                _gripperDisplay.Text = GripperBarHorizontal;
-            }
-
-            Content = _gripperDisplay;
-        }
-
-        internal GridSplitterGripper(UIElement content, GridSplitter.GridResizeDirection gridSplitterDirection)
-            : this(gridSplitterDirection)
-        {
-            Content = content;
-        }
-    }
-}
diff --git a/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls.csproj b/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls.csproj
index d91bc84bd5f..a209e76883a 100644
--- a/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls.csproj
+++ b/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls/Microsoft.Toolkit.Uwp.UI.Controls.csproj
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@
     <Compile Include="GridSplitter\GridSplitter.Events.cs" />
     <Compile Include="GridSplitter\GridSplitter.Helper.cs" />
     <Compile Include="GridSplitter\GridSplitter.Options.cs" />
-    <Compile Include="GridSplitter\GridSplitterGripper.cs" />
     <Compile Include="GridSplitter\GripperHoverWrapper.cs" />
     <Compile Include="HamburgerMenu\MenuItems\HamburgerMenuItem.cs" />
     <Compile Include="HamburgerMenu\MenuItems\HamburgerMenuGlyphItem.cs" />