diff --git a/web/src/components/dialog/PickerItem.svelte b/web/src/components/dialog/PickerItem.svelte
index 6fd0ebe0..c636e8c7 100644
--- a/web/src/components/dialog/PickerItem.svelte
+++ b/web/src/components/dialog/PickerItem.svelte
@@ -10,10 +10,17 @@
     import IconPhoto from "@tabler/icons-svelte/IconPhoto.svelte";
     import IconGif from "@tabler/icons-svelte/IconGif.svelte";
 
-    export let item: DialogPickerItem;
-    export let number: number;
+    type Props = {
+        item: DialogPickerItem;
+        number: number;
+    };
 
-    let imageLoaded = false;
+    const { item, number }: Props = $props();
+
+    const itemType = $derived(item.type ?? "photo");
+
+    let imageLoaded = $state(false);
+    let hideSkeleton = $state(false);
 
     let validUrl = false;
     try {
@@ -23,12 +30,19 @@
 
     const isTunnel = validUrl && new URL(item.url).pathname === "/tunnel";
 
-    $: itemType = item.type ?? "photo";
+    const loaded = () => {
+        imageLoaded = true;
+
+        // remove the skeleton after the image is done fading in
+        setTimeout(() => {
+            hideSkeleton = true;
+        }, 200)
+    }
 </script>
 
 <button
     class="picker-item"
-    on:click={() => {
+    onclick={() => {
         if (validUrl) {
             downloadFile({
                 url: item.url,
@@ -52,10 +66,10 @@
         src={item.thumb ?? item.url}
         class:loading={!imageLoaded}
         class:video-thumbnail={["video", "gif"].includes(itemType)}
-        on:load={() => (imageLoaded = true)}
+        onload={loaded}
         alt="{$t(`a11y.dialog.picker.item.${itemType}`)} {number}"
     />
-    <Skeleton class="picker-image elevated" hidden={imageLoaded} />
+    <Skeleton class="picker-image elevated" hidden={hideSkeleton} />
 </button>
 
 <style>
@@ -78,7 +92,6 @@
     }
 
     :global(.picker-image) {
-        display: block;
         width: 100%;
         height: 100%;
 
@@ -87,10 +100,20 @@
 
         object-fit: cover;
         border-radius: inherit;
+
+        position: absolute;
+        z-index: 2;
+
+        opacity: 1;
+        transition: opacity 0.15s;
+    }
+
+    :global(.skeleton) {
+        z-index: 1;
     }
 
     .picker-image.loading {
-        display: none;
+        opacity: 0;
     }
 
     .picker-image.video-thumbnail {
@@ -98,12 +121,12 @@
     }
 
     :global(.picker-item:active .picker-image) {
-        opacity: 0.7;
+        opacity: 0.75;
     }
 
     @media (hover: hover) {
-        :global(.picker-item:hover .picker-image) {
-            opacity: 0.7;
+        :global(.picker-item:hover:not(:active) .picker-image) {
+            opacity: 0.8;
         }
     }
 
@@ -113,7 +136,7 @@
         background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);
         width: 24px;
         height: 24px;
-        z-index: 9;
+        z-index: 3;
 
         display: flex;
         flex-direction: row;