diff --git a/packages/web/lib/components/home/HeroDecodeBand.tsx b/packages/web/lib/components/home/HeroDecodeBand.tsx
index f4d07d32..4e3a60d2 100644
--- a/packages/web/lib/components/home/HeroDecodeBand.tsx
+++ b/packages/web/lib/components/home/HeroDecodeBand.tsx
@@ -4,12 +4,13 @@ import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { useTranslations } from "next-intl";
 import Image from "next/image";
 import Link from "next/link";
-import { Link2 } from "lucide-react";
+import { Link2, Pause, Play } from "lucide-react";
 import { ScanBracketGlyph } from "@/lib/design-system";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
 import type { HeroDecodeBandData, HeroSlide } from "./types";
 
 const ROTATE_MS = 5000;
+const REDUCED_MOTION_QUERY = "(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)";
 
 /**
  * Decode-first hero: left column = headline + subcopy + Quick Decode card
@@ -71,25 +72,50 @@ export function HeroDecodeBand({
 function HeroCarousel({ slides }: { slides: HeroSlide[] }) {
   const t = useTranslations("Home");
   const [active, setActive] = useState(0);
+  // WCAG 2.2.2 (Pause, Stop, Hide): content that auto-advances for 5s+ must
+  // be user-controllable. `paused` starts `false` so the first client render
+  // matches the server-rendered markup (reading matchMedia in a lazy
+  // initializer would make reduced-motion clients hydrate as `true` while
+  // the server always renders `false`, mismatching the toggle's aria-label
+  // and icon). The effect below reads the current preference right after
+  // mount and flips `paused` to `true` for reduced-motion users well before
+  // the first 5s rotation tick, so no rotation is ever visible. The visible
+  // toggle button lets anyone stop or resume it. `interacting` transiently
+  // pauses on hover/focus.
+  const [paused, setPaused] = useState(false);
+  const [interacting, setInteracting] = useState(false);
   const n = slides.length;
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (n <= 1) return;
-    if (
-      typeof window !== "undefined" &&
-      window.matchMedia("(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)").matches
-    ) {
-      return;
-    }
+    if (typeof window === "undefined") return;
+    const mql = window.matchMedia(REDUCED_MOTION_QUERY);
+    if (mql.matches) setPaused(true);
+    const onChange = (e: MediaQueryListEvent) => {
+      if (e.matches) setPaused(true);
+    };
+    mql.addEventListener("change", onChange);
+    return () => mql.removeEventListener("change", onChange);
+  }, []);
+
+  const isRotating = n > 1 && !paused && !interacting;
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!isRotating) return;
     const rotateTimer = setInterval(
       () => setActive((a) => (a + 1) % n),
       ROTATE_MS
     );
     return () => clearInterval(rotateTimer);
-  }, [n]);
+  }, [isRotating, n]);
 
   return (
-    <div className="mx-auto hidden w-[260px] max-w-full overflow-hidden md:block lg:mx-0 lg:justify-self-center">
+    <div
+      className="mx-auto hidden w-[260px] max-w-full overflow-hidden md:block lg:mx-0 lg:justify-self-center"
+      onMouseEnter={() => setInteracting(true)}
+      onMouseLeave={() => setInteracting(false)}
+      onFocus={() => setInteracting(true)}
+      onBlur={() => setInteracting(false)}
+    >
       <div className="relative h-[300px]">
         {slides.map((slide, i) => {
           const rel = (((i - active) % n) + n) % n;
@@ -114,19 +140,35 @@ function HeroCarousel({ slides }: { slides: HeroSlide[] }) {
       </div>
 
       {n > 1 && (
-        <div className="mt-4 flex justify-center gap-1.5">
-          {slides.map((_, i) => (
-            <button
-              key={i}
-              type="button"
-              aria-label={t("hero.showLookAria", { index: i + 1 })}
-              onClick={() => setActive(i)}
-              className={cn(
-                "h-1.5 rounded-full transition-all",
-                i === active ? "w-5 bg-primary" : "w-1.5 bg-border"
-              )}
-            />
-          ))}
+        <div className="mt-4 flex items-center justify-center gap-3">
+          <div className="flex gap-1.5">
+            {slides.map((_, i) => (
+              <button
+                key={i}
+                type="button"
+                aria-label={t("hero.showLookAria", { index: i + 1 })}
+                onClick={() => setActive(i)}
+                className={cn(
+                  "h-1.5 rounded-full transition-all",
+                  i === active ? "w-5 bg-primary" : "w-1.5 bg-border"
+                )}
+              />
+            ))}
+          </div>
+          <button
+            type="button"
+            aria-label={
+              paused ? t("hero.playCarouselAria") : t("hero.pauseCarouselAria")
+            }
+            onClick={() => setPaused((p) => !p)}
+            className="flex size-6 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-full border border-border text-foreground transition-colors hover:bg-accent"
+          >
+            {paused ? (
+              <Play className="size-3" />
+            ) : (
+              <Pause className="size-3" />
+            )}
+          </button>
         </div>
       )}
     </div>
diff --git a/packages/web/lib/components/home/__tests__/HeroDecodeBand.pause.test.tsx b/packages/web/lib/components/home/__tests__/HeroDecodeBand.pause.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6ca30fe4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/web/lib/components/home/__tests__/HeroDecodeBand.pause.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,175 @@
+/**
+ * @vitest-environment jsdom
+ */
+import React, { act } from "react";
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from "vitest";
+import { render, screen, fireEvent } from "@testing-library/react";
+import "@testing-library/jest-dom";
+import { NextIntlClientProvider } from "next-intl";
+import en from "@/messages/en.json";
+
+// Sever the design-system barrel (it pulls the app-wide store/API graph);
+// HeroDecodeBand only needs the ScanBracketGlyph icon.
+vi.mock("@/lib/design-system", () => ({
+  ScanBracketGlyph: () => <svg />,
+}));
+vi.mock("next/image", () => ({
+  default: (props: React.ImgHTMLAttributes<HTMLImageElement>) => (
+    // eslint-disable-next-line @next/next/no-img-element
+    <img {...props} />
+  ),
+}));
+
+import { HeroDecodeBand } from "../HeroDecodeBand";
+import type { HeroSlide } from "../types";
+
+function makeSlides(n: number): HeroSlide[] {
+  return Array.from({ length: n }, (_, i) => ({
+    imageUrl: `https://example.com/${i}.jpg`,
+    styleRead: null,
+  }));
+}
+
+function renderHero(slides: HeroSlide[]) {
+  return render(
+    <NextIntlClientProvider locale="en" messages={en}>
+      <HeroDecodeBand data={{ slides }} />
+    </NextIntlClientProvider>
+  );
+}
+
+/** Controllable `window.matchMedia` mock for `(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)`. */
+function mockMatchMedia(initialMatches: boolean) {
+  let matches = initialMatches;
+  const listeners = new Set<(e: MediaQueryListEvent) => void>();
+  const mql = {
+    get matches() {
+      return matches;
+    },
+    media: "(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)",
+    addEventListener: (_type: string, cb: (e: MediaQueryListEvent) => void) => {
+      listeners.add(cb);
+    },
+    removeEventListener: (
+      _type: string,
+      cb: (e: MediaQueryListEvent) => void
+    ) => {
+      listeners.delete(cb);
+    },
+    dispatchEvent: () => true,
+  };
+  window.matchMedia = vi.fn().mockReturnValue(mql);
+  return {
+    setMatches(next: boolean) {
+      matches = next;
+      listeners.forEach((cb) => cb({ matches: next } as MediaQueryListEvent));
+    },
+  };
+}
+
+/** Active look = the dot button carrying the "current" width class. */
+function activeDotIndex(): number {
+  const dots = screen.getAllByRole("button", { name: /^Show look \d+$/ });
+  return dots.findIndex((d) => d.className.includes("w-5"));
+}
+
+describe("HeroDecodeBand carousel auto-rotate pause/control (#848)", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+  });
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers();
+    vi.restoreAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it("auto-rotates every 5s by default when motion is not reduced", () => {
+    mockMatchMedia(false);
+    renderHero(makeSlides(3));
+
+    expect(activeDotIndex()).toBe(0);
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(5000);
+    });
+    expect(activeDotIndex()).toBe(1);
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(5000);
+    });
+    expect(activeDotIndex()).toBe(2);
+  });
+
+  it("shows a visible pause toggle and stops rotation once paused", () => {
+    mockMatchMedia(false);
+    renderHero(makeSlides(3));
+
+    const pauseButton = screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Pause carousel" });
+    // APG rotation-control pattern: accessible-name swap alone communicates
+    // state; no aria-pressed (avoids "Play carousel, pressed" contradictions).
+    expect(pauseButton).not.toHaveAttribute("aria-pressed");
+
+    fireEvent.click(pauseButton);
+
+    const playButton = screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Play carousel" });
+    expect(playButton).not.toHaveAttribute("aria-pressed");
+
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(15000);
+    });
+    expect(activeDotIndex()).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("resumes rotation from the current slide when play is pressed again", () => {
+    mockMatchMedia(false);
+    renderHero(makeSlides(3));
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Pause carousel" }));
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Play carousel" }));
+
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(5000);
+    });
+    expect(activeDotIndex()).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it("does not auto-start rotation when prefers-reduced-motion is set", () => {
+    mockMatchMedia(true);
+    renderHero(makeSlides(3));
+
+    // Starts paused: the toggle already reads "Play carousel".
+    expect(
+      screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Play carousel" })
+    ).toBeInTheDocument();
+
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(15000);
+    });
+    expect(activeDotIndex()).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("pauses rotation on focus-within and resumes after blur", () => {
+    mockMatchMedia(false);
+    renderHero(makeSlides(3));
+
+    const pauseButton = screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Pause carousel" });
+    fireEvent.focus(pauseButton);
+
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(15000);
+    });
+    expect(activeDotIndex()).toBe(0);
+
+    fireEvent.blur(pauseButton);
+    act(() => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(5000);
+    });
+    expect(activeDotIndex()).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  it("does not render a pause toggle for a single slide (nothing to control)", () => {
+    mockMatchMedia(false);
+    renderHero(makeSlides(1));
+
+    expect(
+      screen.queryByRole("button", { name: "Pause carousel" })
+    ).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/web/messages/en.json b/packages/web/messages/en.json
index 9285dcd1..66bfb0a1 100644
--- a/packages/web/messages/en.json
+++ b/packages/web/messages/en.json
@@ -87,7 +87,9 @@
       "decodeCta": "Decode a look",
       "pasteUrlCta": "Paste URL",
       "slideAlt": "Decoded look",
-      "showLookAria": "Show look {index}"
+      "showLookAria": "Show look {index}",
+      "pauseCarouselAria": "Pause carousel",
+      "playCarouselAria": "Play carousel"
     },
     "quickDecode": {
       "aria": "Quick decode",
diff --git a/packages/web/messages/ko.json b/packages/web/messages/ko.json
index 5837ae76..bf641218 100644
--- a/packages/web/messages/ko.json
+++ b/packages/web/messages/ko.json
@@ -87,7 +87,9 @@
       "decodeCta": "룩 디코드하기",
       "pasteUrlCta": "URL 붙여넣기",
       "slideAlt": "디코드된 룩",
-      "showLookAria": "{index}번 룩 보기"
+      "showLookAria": "{index}번 룩 보기",
+      "pauseCarouselAria": "캐러셀 일시정지",
+      "playCarouselAria": "캐러셀 재생"
     },
     "quickDecode": {
       "aria": "빠른 디코드",