diff --git a/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopModeController.java b/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopModeController.java
index f5f3573252ec3..63b03ab76aac3 100644
--- a/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopModeController.java
+++ b/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopModeController.java
@@ -251,7 +251,8 @@ public class DesktopModeController implements RemoteCallable<DesktopModeControll
      * Show apps on desktop
      */
     void showDesktopApps() {
-        WindowContainerTransaction wct = bringDesktopAppsToFront();
+        // Bring apps to front, ignoring their visibility status to always ensure they are on top.
+        WindowContainerTransaction wct = bringDesktopAppsToFront(true /* ignoreVisibility */);
 
         if (Transitions.ENABLE_SHELL_TRANSITIONS) {
             mTransitions.startTransition(TRANSIT_TO_FRONT, wct, null /* handler */);
@@ -261,7 +262,7 @@ public class DesktopModeController implements RemoteCallable<DesktopModeControll
     }
 
     @NonNull
-    private WindowContainerTransaction bringDesktopAppsToFront() {
+    private WindowContainerTransaction bringDesktopAppsToFront(boolean force) {
         final WindowContainerTransaction wct = new WindowContainerTransaction();
         final ArraySet<Integer> activeTasks = mDesktopModeTaskRepository.getActiveTasks();
         ProtoLog.d(WM_SHELL_DESKTOP_MODE, "bringDesktopAppsToFront: tasks=%s", activeTasks.size());
@@ -278,12 +279,14 @@ public class DesktopModeController implements RemoteCallable<DesktopModeControll
             return wct;
         }
 
-        final boolean allActiveTasksAreVisible = taskInfos.stream()
-                .allMatch(info -> mDesktopModeTaskRepository.isVisibleTask(info.taskId));
-        if (allActiveTasksAreVisible) {
-            ProtoLog.d(WM_SHELL_DESKTOP_MODE,
-                    "bringDesktopAppsToFront: active tasks are already in front, skipping.");
-            return wct;
+        if (!force) {
+            final boolean allActiveTasksAreVisible = taskInfos.stream()
+                    .allMatch(info -> mDesktopModeTaskRepository.isVisibleTask(info.taskId));
+            if (allActiveTasksAreVisible) {
+                ProtoLog.d(WM_SHELL_DESKTOP_MODE,
+                        "bringDesktopAppsToFront: active tasks are already in front, skipping.");
+                return wct;
+            }
         }
         ProtoLog.d(WM_SHELL_DESKTOP_MODE,
                 "bringDesktopAppsToFront: reordering all active tasks to the front");
@@ -354,7 +357,7 @@ public class DesktopModeController implements RemoteCallable<DesktopModeControll
         if (wct == null) {
             wct = new WindowContainerTransaction();
         }
-        wct.merge(bringDesktopAppsToFront(), true /* transfer */);
+        wct.merge(bringDesktopAppsToFront(false /* ignoreVisibility */), true /* transfer */);
         wct.reorder(request.getTriggerTask().token, true /* onTop */);
 
         return wct;
diff --git a/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopTasksController.kt b/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopTasksController.kt
index 3341470efe4df..9165f7012bb51 100644
--- a/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopTasksController.kt
+++ b/libs/WindowManager/Shell/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopTasksController.kt
@@ -84,8 +84,7 @@ class DesktopTasksController(
     fun showDesktopApps() {
         ProtoLog.v(WM_SHELL_DESKTOP_MODE, "showDesktopApps")
         val wct = WindowContainerTransaction()
-
-        bringDesktopAppsToFront(wct)
+        bringDesktopAppsToFront(wct, force = true)
 
         // Execute transaction if there are pending operations
         if (!wct.isEmpty) {
@@ -150,11 +149,11 @@ class DesktopTasksController(
             ?: WINDOWING_MODE_UNDEFINED
     }
 
-    private fun bringDesktopAppsToFront(wct: WindowContainerTransaction) {
+    private fun bringDesktopAppsToFront(wct: WindowContainerTransaction, force: Boolean = false) {
         val activeTasks = desktopModeTaskRepository.getActiveTasks()
 
         // Skip if all tasks are already visible
-        if (activeTasks.isNotEmpty() && activeTasks.all(desktopModeTaskRepository::isVisibleTask)) {
+        if (!force && activeTasks.all(desktopModeTaskRepository::isVisibleTask)) {
             ProtoLog.d(
                 WM_SHELL_DESKTOP_MODE,
                 "bringDesktopAppsToFront: active tasks are already in front, skipping."
diff --git a/libs/WindowManager/Shell/tests/unittest/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopModeControllerTest.java b/libs/WindowManager/Shell/tests/unittest/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopModeControllerTest.java
index 08af3d3eecfe3..35cc16852b9f5 100644
--- a/libs/WindowManager/Shell/tests/unittest/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopModeControllerTest.java
+++ b/libs/WindowManager/Shell/tests/unittest/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopModeControllerTest.java
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ public class DesktopModeControllerTest extends ShellTestCase {
     }
 
     @Test
-    public void testShowDesktopApps_appsAlreadyVisible_doesNothing() {
+    public void testShowDesktopApps_appsAlreadyVisible_bringsToFront() {
         final RunningTaskInfo task1 = createFreeformTask();
         mDesktopModeTaskRepository.addActiveTask(task1.taskId);
         mDesktopModeTaskRepository.addOrMoveFreeformTaskToTop(task1.taskId);
@@ -294,8 +294,17 @@ public class DesktopModeControllerTest extends ShellTestCase {
         mController.showDesktopApps();
 
         final WindowContainerTransaction wct = getBringAppsToFrontTransaction();
-        // No reordering needed.
-        assertThat(wct.getHierarchyOps()).isEmpty();
+        // Check wct has reorder calls
+        assertThat(wct.getHierarchyOps()).hasSize(2);
+        // Task 1 appeared first, must be first reorder to top.
+        HierarchyOp op1 = wct.getHierarchyOps().get(0);
+        assertThat(op1.getType()).isEqualTo(HIERARCHY_OP_TYPE_REORDER);
+        assertThat(op1.getContainer()).isEqualTo(task1.token.asBinder());
+
+        // Task 2 appeared last, must be last reorder to top.
+        HierarchyOp op2 = wct.getHierarchyOps().get(1);
+        assertThat(op2.getType()).isEqualTo(HIERARCHY_OP_TYPE_REORDER);
+        assertThat(op2.getContainer()).isEqualTo(task2.token.asBinder());
     }
 
     @Test
diff --git a/libs/WindowManager/Shell/tests/unittest/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopTasksControllerTest.kt b/libs/WindowManager/Shell/tests/unittest/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopTasksControllerTest.kt
index 9a92879bde1f9..4011d080564d4 100644
--- a/libs/WindowManager/Shell/tests/unittest/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopTasksControllerTest.kt
+++ b/libs/WindowManager/Shell/tests/unittest/src/com/android/wm/shell/desktopmode/DesktopTasksControllerTest.kt
@@ -150,8 +150,8 @@ class DesktopTasksControllerTest : ShellTestCase() {
     }
 
     @Test
-    fun showDesktopApps_appsAlreadyVisible_doesNothing() {
-        setUpHomeTask()
+    fun showDesktopApps_appsAlreadyVisible_bringsToFront() {
+        val homeTask = setUpHomeTask()
         val task1 = setUpFreeformTask()
         val task2 = setUpFreeformTask()
         markTaskVisible(task1)
@@ -159,7 +159,12 @@ class DesktopTasksControllerTest : ShellTestCase() {
 
         controller.showDesktopApps()
 
-        verifyWCTNotExecuted()
+        val wct = getLatestWct()
+        assertThat(wct.hierarchyOps).hasSize(3)
+        // Expect order to be from bottom: home, task1, task2
+        wct.assertReorderAt(index = 0, homeTask)
+        wct.assertReorderAt(index = 1, task1)
+        wct.assertReorderAt(index = 2, task2)
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -206,6 +211,23 @@ class DesktopTasksControllerTest : ShellTestCase() {
         verifyWCTNotExecuted()
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun moveToDesktop_otherFreeformTasksBroughtToFront() {
+        val homeTask = setUpHomeTask()
+        val freeformTask = setUpFreeformTask()
+        val fullscreenTask = setUpFullscreenTask()
+        markTaskHidden(freeformTask)
+
+        controller.moveToDesktop(fullscreenTask)
+
+        with(getLatestWct()) {
+            assertThat(hierarchyOps).hasSize(3)
+            assertReorderSequence(homeTask, freeformTask, fullscreenTask)
+            assertThat(changes[fullscreenTask.token.asBinder()]?.windowingMode)
+                    .isEqualTo(WINDOWING_MODE_FREEFORM)
+        }
+    }
+
     @Test
     fun moveToFullscreen() {
         val task = setUpFreeformTask()
@@ -406,3 +428,9 @@ private fun WindowContainerTransaction.assertReorderAt(index: Int, task: Running
     assertThat(op.type).isEqualTo(HIERARCHY_OP_TYPE_REORDER)
     assertThat(op.container).isEqualTo(task.token.asBinder())
 }
+
+private fun WindowContainerTransaction.assertReorderSequence(vararg tasks: RunningTaskInfo) {
+    for (i in tasks.indices) {
+        assertReorderAt(i, tasks[i])
+    }
+}