diff --git a/components/mobileshell/qml/taskswitcher/Task.qml b/components/mobileshell/qml/taskswitcher/Task.qml
index 443e2882..d4a80d40 100644
--- a/components/mobileshell/qml/taskswitcher/Task.qml
+++ b/components/mobileshell/qml/taskswitcher/Task.qml
@@ -25,10 +25,11 @@ Item {
     required property real previewHeight
     required property real previewWidth
     
-    readonly property point taskScreenPoint: model ? Qt.point(model.ScreenGeometry.x, model.ScreenGeometry.y) : Qt.point(0, 0)
+    readonly property point taskScreenPoint: (model && model.ScreenGeometry) ? Qt.point(model.ScreenGeometry.x, model.ScreenGeometry.y) : Qt.point(0, 0)
     readonly property real dragOffset: -control.y
     
     property bool showHeader: true
+    property real darken: 0
     
     opacity: 1 - dragOffset / taskSwitcher.height
     
@@ -58,16 +59,11 @@ Item {
         }
     }
     
-    QQC2.Control {
+    Item {
         id: control
         width: parent.width
         height: parent.height
         
-        leftPadding: 0
-        rightPadding: 0
-        topPadding: 0
-        bottomPadding: 0
-        
         // drag up gesture
         DragHandler {
             id: dragHandler
@@ -105,8 +101,9 @@ Item {
         }
 
         // application
-        contentItem: ColumnLayout {
+        ColumnLayout {
             id: column
+            anchors.fill: parent
             spacing: 0
             
             // header
@@ -193,6 +190,13 @@ Item {
                         source: Qt.resolvedUrl("./Thumbnail.qml")
                     }
                     
+                    // darken effect
+                    Rectangle {
+                        anchors.fill: parent
+                        color: "black"
+                        opacity: delegate.darken
+                    }
+                    
                     TapHandler {
                         onTapped: delegate.activateApp()
                     }
diff --git a/components/mobileshell/qml/taskswitcher/TaskList.qml b/components/mobileshell/qml/taskswitcher/TaskList.qml
index 26b01872..5462016b 100644
--- a/components/mobileshell/qml/taskswitcher/TaskList.qml
+++ b/components/mobileshell/qml/taskswitcher/TaskList.qml
@@ -83,8 +83,16 @@ Item {
             // ensure current task is above others
             z: taskSwitcherState.currentTaskIndex === currentIndex ? 1 : 0
             
+            // only show header once task switcher is opened
             showHeader: !taskSwitcherState.currentlyBeingOpened
             
+            // darken effect as task gets away from the centre of the screen
+            darken: {
+                let distFromCentreProgress = Math.abs(x - repeater.leftMargin) / taskSwitcherState.taskWidth;
+                let upperBoundAdjust = Math.min(0.5, distFromCentreProgress) - 0.2;
+                return Math.max(0, upperBoundAdjust);
+            }
+            
             width: taskSwitcherState.taskWidth
             height: taskSwitcherState.taskHeight
             previewWidth: taskSwitcherState.previewWidth