diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0c38509..25d962d 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -77,9 +77,11 @@ The 3D tab catalogs 7,345 models, 8,404 animation files, and 2,254 collision
 meshes from the US retail disc. The SDK executes the model's PS2 VIF packets,
 reconstructs geometry, materials, bone hierarchies, skin weights, inverse bind
 matrices, and I3M quaternion tracks, and resolves TIM2 materials within the
-model's own package. Three.js renders the result with orbit controls, model
-rotation toggled by R, framing, wireframe, grid, skeleton, playback, and
-timeline controls.
+model's own package. Three.js renders the result with camera orbit controls and
+a DCC-style rotation gizmo: drag its center for free rotation or a colored X,
+Y, or Z ring for constrained rotation. The gizmo rotates only the preview
+wrapper, preserving the authored model transform for glTF export. Framing,
+wireframe, grid, skeleton, playback, and timeline controls remain available.
 
 Selecting a model lists every compatible animation in its package. Selecting an
 animation finds a compatible skeleton by exact track and bone names, including
diff --git a/index.html b/index.html
index fb1db1f..a9dec06 100644
--- a/index.html
+++ b/index.html
@@ -384,14 +384,21 @@ <h2>MODELS &amp; ANIMATION</h2>
           </div>
         </header>
         <div id="model-workspace" hidden>
-          <section id="model-viewport" aria-label="Realtime 3D model preview">
+          <section id="model-viewport" aria-label="Realtime 3D model preview. Drag the background to orbit. Drag the center rotation handle for free rotation, or a colored ring to rotate on one axis.">
             <canvas id="model-canvas"></canvas>
             <div id="model-toolbar" aria-label="3D view controls">
               <button id="model-reset-view" type="button">FRAME</button>
               <button id="model-wireframe" type="button">WIREFRAME</button>
               <button id="model-grid" class="on" type="button">GRID</button>
               <button id="model-skeleton" type="button">SKELETON</button>
-              <button id="model-rotate" type="button">ROTATE</button>
+            </div>
+            <div id="model-rotation-help" hidden
+              aria-label="Rotation controls: drag the center for free rotation; drag the X, Y, or Z ring for constrained rotation.">
+              <span class="model-rotation-label">ROTATE</span>
+              <span data-axis="XYZE"><b></b>FREE</span>
+              <span data-axis="X"><b>X</b></span>
+              <span data-axis="Y"><b>Y</b></span>
+              <span data-axis="Z"><b>Z</b></span>
             </div>
             <div id="model-animation-bar">
               <button id="model-anim-play" type="button" disabled>PLAY</button>
diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index adffab9..42c685c 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ const KEYS_FMV = "SPACE play · ↑↓ movie · ENTER play · ←→ seek 5 s ·
     + "· F fullscreen · E exports · ESC exit/cancel · click bar to seek";
 const KEYS_IMAGES = "↑↓ image · ENTER preview · E PNG · X original TM2 · A all PNG";
 const KEYS_MODELS = "↑↓ asset · ENTER preview · SPACE play/pause animation · "
-    + "R model rotation toggle · drag model to rotate · drag to orbit camera · wheel zoom";
+    + "drag background to orbit · drag center for free rotation · drag X/Y/Z ring to constrain";
 
 const sDur = (e: StreamEntry): number =>
     e.sectors * (2048 / e.channels / 16 * 28) / e.rate;
diff --git a/src/model-browser.ts b/src/model-browser.ts
index 01ef920..8adc2af 100644
--- a/src/model-browser.ts
+++ b/src/model-browser.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import * as THREE from "three";
 import { OrbitControls } from "three/addons/controls/OrbitControls.js";
+import { TransformControls } from "three/addons/controls/TransformControls.js";
 import { GLTFExporter } from "three/addons/exporters/GLTFExporter.js";
 import {
     decodeI3dAnimation,
@@ -265,11 +266,12 @@ export class ModelBrowser {
     private loadToken = 0;
     private busy = false;
     private loaded: LoadedScene | null = null;
-    private modelPivot: THREE.Group | null = null;
     private renderer: THREE.WebGLRenderer | null = null;
     private camera: THREE.PerspectiveCamera | null = null;
     private scene: THREE.Scene | null = null;
     private controls: OrbitControls | null = null;
+    private rotationControls: TransformControls | null = null;
+    private viewRoot: THREE.Group | null = null;
     private mixer: THREE.AnimationMixer | null = null;
     private action: THREE.AnimationAction | null = null;
     private skeleton: THREE.SkeletonHelper | null = null;
@@ -277,10 +279,6 @@ export class ModelBrowser {
     private lastFrame = performance.now();
     private sceneRadius = 0;
     private playing = true;
-    private rotateModel = false;
-    private modelPointerId: number | null = null;
-    private lastPointerX = 0;
-    private lastPointerY = 0;
     private readonly status: Status;
 
     constructor(status: Status) {
@@ -312,7 +310,6 @@ export class ModelBrowser {
     }
 
     close(): void {
-        this.stopModelDrag();
         if (this.action) this.action.paused = true;
     }
 
@@ -336,11 +333,6 @@ export class ModelBrowser {
             void this.select(this.filtered[next]!);
             return true;
         }
-        if ((event.key === "r" || event.key === "R")
-            && !event.metaKey && !event.ctrlKey && !event.altKey && this.loaded) {
-            this.toggleModelRotation();
-            return true;
-        }
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -381,8 +373,6 @@ export class ModelBrowser {
             this.mixer.setTime(time);
             this.updateAnimationUi();
         });
-        const rotateBtn = document.getElementById("model-rotate") as HTMLButtonElement | null;
-        if (rotateBtn) rotateBtn.addEventListener("click", () => this.toggleModelRotation());
     }
 
     private ensureRenderer(): void {
@@ -403,11 +393,21 @@ export class ModelBrowser {
         this.controls.dampingFactor = 0.07;
         this.controls.zoomToCursor = true;
         this.controls.screenSpacePanning = true;
-        canvas.style.touchAction = "none";
-        canvas.addEventListener("pointerdown", this.onModelRotatePointerDown);
-        canvas.addEventListener("pointermove", this.onModelRotatePointerMove);
-        canvas.addEventListener("pointerup", this.onModelRotatePointerUp);
-        canvas.addEventListener("pointercancel", this.onModelRotatePointerUp);
+        this.rotationControls = new TransformControls(this.camera, canvas);
+        this.rotationControls.setMode("rotate");
+        this.rotationControls.setSpace("world");
+        this.rotationControls.setSize(1.15);
+        this.rotationControls.showE = false;
+        this.rotationControls.setColors(0xff5d67, 0x63d18b, 0x57a6ff, 0xffd166);
+        this.rotationControls.addEventListener("dragging-changed", event => {
+            const dragging = event.value === true;
+            if (this.controls) this.controls.enabled = !dragging;
+            viewport.classList.toggle("rotating-model", dragging);
+        });
+        this.rotationControls.addEventListener("axis-changed", event => {
+            this.updateRotationHint(typeof event.value === "string" ? event.value : null);
+        });
+        this.scene.add(this.rotationControls.getHelper());
         const ambient = new THREE.AmbientLight(0xffffff, 0.6);
         ambient.name = "AE3_AMBIENT";
         this.scene.add(ambient);
@@ -720,9 +720,19 @@ export class ModelBrowser {
     private present(asset: ModelAsset, loaded: LoadedScene): void {
         this.clearScene();
         this.loaded = loaded;
-        this.modelPivot = new THREE.Group();
-        this.modelPivot.add(loaded.root);
-        this.scene!.add(this.modelPivot);
+        const pivot = new THREE.Box3().setFromObject(loaded.root).getCenter(new THREE.Vector3());
+        this.viewRoot = new THREE.Group();
+        this.viewRoot.name = "MODEL_VIEW_ROTATION";
+        this.viewRoot.position.copy(pivot);
+        const viewOffset = new THREE.Group();
+        viewOffset.name = "MODEL_VIEW_OFFSET";
+        viewOffset.position.copy(pivot).multiplyScalar(-1);
+        viewOffset.add(loaded.root);
+        this.viewRoot.add(viewOffset);
+        this.scene!.add(this.viewRoot);
+        const hasGeometry = loaded.root.children.length > 0;
+        if (hasGeometry) this.rotationControls?.attach(this.viewRoot);
+        element<HTMLElement>("model-rotation-help").hidden = !hasGeometry;
         if (loaded.model && loaded.model.bones.length > 0) {
             this.skeleton = new THREE.SkeletonHelper(loaded.root);
             this.skeleton.visible = element<HTMLButtonElement>("model-skeleton").classList.contains("on");
@@ -732,8 +742,8 @@ export class ModelBrowser {
         this.populateAnimations(loaded);
         this.frameLoaded();
         this.renderInspector(asset, loaded, null);
-        element<HTMLElement>("model-empty").hidden = loaded.root.children.length > 0;
-        if (loaded.root.children.length === 0) {
+        element<HTMLElement>("model-empty").hidden = hasGeometry;
+        if (!hasGeometry) {
             element<HTMLElement>("model-empty").textContent = "Animation decoded. No compatible model was available in the same package.";
         }
         this.updateActions();
@@ -744,14 +754,18 @@ export class ModelBrowser {
         this.action = null;
         this.mixer?.stopAllAction();
         this.mixer = null;
+        this.rotationControls?.detach();
+        if (this.controls) this.controls.enabled = true;
+        element<HTMLElement>("model-viewport").classList.remove("rotating-model");
+        element<HTMLElement>("model-rotation-help").hidden = true;
+        this.updateRotationHint(null);
         if (this.skeleton && this.scene) this.scene.remove(this.skeleton);
         this.skeleton = null;
-        if (this.modelPivot && this.scene) this.scene.remove(this.modelPivot);
-        this.modelPivot = null;
+        if (this.viewRoot && this.scene) this.scene.remove(this.viewRoot);
         if (this.loaded) disposeObject(this.loaded.root);
+        this.viewRoot = null;
         this.loaded = null;
         this.sceneRadius = 0;
-        this.stopModelDrag();
         this.populateAnimations(null);
     }
 
@@ -821,10 +835,15 @@ export class ModelBrowser {
         this.camera.far = far;
         this.camera.updateProjectionMatrix();
     }
+    private updateRotationHint(axis: string | null): void {
+        const hint = element<HTMLElement>("model-rotation-help");
+        if (axis) hint.dataset.activeAxis = axis;
+        else delete hint.dataset.activeAxis;
+    }
 
     private frameLoaded(): void {
         if (!this.loaded || !this.camera || !this.controls) return;
-        const box = new THREE.Box3().setFromObject(this.loaded.root);
+        const box = new THREE.Box3().setFromObject(this.viewRoot ?? this.loaded.root);
         if (box.isEmpty()) return;
         const sphere = box.getBoundingSphere(new THREE.Sphere());
         const radius = Math.max(sphere.radius, 0.01);
@@ -865,67 +884,6 @@ export class ModelBrowser {
         if (this.skeleton) this.skeleton.visible = button.classList.contains("on");
     }
 
-    private toggleModelRotation(): void {
-        this.rotateModel = !this.rotateModel;
-        const canvas = element<HTMLCanvasElement>("model-canvas");
-        const btn = document.getElementById("model-rotate") as HTMLButtonElement | null;
-        if (this.rotateModel) {
-            canvas.style.cursor = "grab";
-            if (this.controls) this.controls.enableRotate = false;
-            if (btn) {
-                btn.classList.add("on");
-                btn.textContent = "ROTATE ON";
-            }
-            this.status("MODEL ROTATION: ON — drag to rotate, right-click to pan, scroll to zoom");
-        } else {
-            if (this.controls) this.controls.enableRotate = true;
-            if (btn) {
-                btn.classList.remove("on");
-                btn.textContent = "ROTATE";
-            }
-            this.stopModelDrag();
-            this.status("MODEL ROTATION: OFF — camera orbit enabled");
-        }
-    }
-
-    private stopModelDrag(): void {
-        const canvas = element<HTMLCanvasElement>("model-canvas");
-        if (this.modelPointerId !== null && canvas.hasPointerCapture(this.modelPointerId)) {
-            canvas.releasePointerCapture(this.modelPointerId);
-        }
-        this.modelPointerId = null;
-        canvas.style.cursor = this.rotateModel ? "grab" : "";
-    }
-
-    private readonly onModelRotatePointerDown = (event: PointerEvent): void => {
-        if (!this.rotateModel || !event.isPrimary || event.button !== 0
-            || this.modelPointerId !== null || !this.loaded || !this.modelPivot) return;
-        const canvas = event.currentTarget as HTMLCanvasElement;
-        this.modelPointerId = event.pointerId;
-        this.lastPointerX = event.clientX;
-        this.lastPointerY = event.clientY;
-        canvas.setPointerCapture(event.pointerId);
-        canvas.style.cursor = "grabbing";
-    };
-
-    private readonly onModelRotatePointerMove = (event: PointerEvent): void => {
-        if (this.modelPointerId !== event.pointerId || !event.isPrimary) return;
-        if (!this.rotateModel || !this.loaded || !this.modelPivot) {
-            this.onModelRotatePointerUp(event);
-            return;
-        }
-        const deltaX = event.clientX - this.lastPointerX;
-        const deltaY = event.clientY - this.lastPointerY;
-        this.lastPointerX = event.clientX;
-        this.lastPointerY = event.clientY;
-        this.modelPivot.rotation.y += deltaX * 0.01;
-        this.modelPivot.rotation.x += deltaY * 0.01;
-    };
-
-    private readonly onModelRotatePointerUp = (event: PointerEvent): void => {
-        if (event.pointerId !== this.modelPointerId) return;
-        this.stopModelDrag();
-    };
 
     private renderInspector(asset: ModelAsset, loaded: LoadedScene | null,
                             error: string | null): void {
diff --git a/src/style.css b/src/style.css
index 7edb02d..32e7001 100644
--- a/src/style.css
+++ b/src/style.css
@@ -2037,6 +2037,8 @@ button.ex-row:disabled {
     height: 100%;
     outline: 1px solid oklch(1 0 0 / 0.08);
 }
+#model-canvas { cursor: grab; }
+#model-viewport.rotating-model #model-canvas { cursor: grabbing; }
 #model-toolbar {
     position: absolute;
     z-index: 2;
@@ -2067,6 +2069,75 @@ button.ex-row:disabled {
     border-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--model-accent) 40%, transparent);
     background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--model-accent) 10%, transparent);
 }
+#model-rotation-help {
+    position: absolute;
+    z-index: 2;
+    bottom: 68px;
+    left: 12px;
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    gap: 4px;
+    padding: 5px;
+    border-radius: 7px;
+    color: var(--dim);
+    background: oklch(0.17 0.018 240 / 0.82);
+    box-shadow:
+        0 10px 28px oklch(0 0 0 / 0.3),
+        inset 0 0 0 1px oklch(1 0 0 / 0.09);
+    backdrop-filter: blur(14px);
+    pointer-events: none;
+}
+#model-rotation-help[hidden] { display: none; }
+.model-rotation-label {
+    padding: 0 5px;
+    font-size: 7px;
+    letter-spacing: 0.12em;
+}
+#model-rotation-help [data-axis] {
+    display: inline-flex;
+    min-height: 28px;
+    align-items: center;
+    gap: 4px;
+    padding: 3px 5px;
+    border-radius: 4px;
+    font-size: 7px;
+    letter-spacing: 0.07em;
+    opacity: 0.72;
+    transition-property: color, background-color, opacity;
+    transition-duration: 100ms;
+}
+#model-rotation-help b {
+    display: grid;
+    width: 18px;
+    height: 18px;
+    place-items: center;
+    font-size: 8px;
+}
+#model-rotation-help [data-axis="XYZE"] b {
+    position: relative;
+    width: 15px;
+    height: 15px;
+    border: 1px solid #d7e1e8;
+    border-radius: 50%;
+}
+#model-rotation-help [data-axis="XYZE"] b::after {
+    position: absolute;
+    inset: 4px;
+    border-radius: 50%;
+    background: #d7e1e8;
+    content: "";
+}
+#model-rotation-help [data-axis="X"] b { color: #ff5d67; }
+#model-rotation-help [data-axis="Y"] b { color: #63d18b; }
+#model-rotation-help [data-axis="Z"] b { color: #57a6ff; }
+#model-rotation-help[data-active-axis="XYZE"] [data-axis="XYZE"],
+#model-rotation-help[data-active-axis="X"] [data-axis="X"],
+#model-rotation-help[data-active-axis="Y"] [data-axis="Y"],
+#model-rotation-help[data-active-axis="Z"] [data-axis="Z"] {
+    color: #ffd166;
+    background: oklch(0.82 0.16 86 / 0.12);
+    opacity: 1;
+}
 #model-animation-bar {
     position: absolute;
     z-index: 2;
@@ -2220,4 +2291,5 @@ button.ex-row:disabled {
     #model-anim-time { grid-column: 1 / -1; }
     #model-anim-readout { display: none; }
     #model-toolbar { right: 12px; }
+    #model-rotation-help { bottom: 104px; }
 }