Do I need every HM to finish the main story?

Cut, Surf, Strength, Rock Smash and Waterfall all gate mandatory progress. Fly, Flash and Dive are optional for the story but open up fast travel, dark caves and underwater areas.

Can I use an HM before I have its badge?

Only in battle. You can teach the move the moment you receive it, but the overworld action — cutting, surfing, smashing rocks and so on — stays locked until the matching Gym Badge is yours.

Is HM07 Waterfall different between Ruby/Sapphire and Emerald?

Yes. Ruby and Sapphire leave it as a ground item inside the Cave of Origin. Emerald has Wallace hand it to you in front of the Sootopolis Gym after the Groudon/Kyogre event.

Where do I get Dive in Ruby and Sapphire versus Emerald?

Steven gives it in his Mossdeep City house in every version — Ruby and Sapphire hand it over right away, while Emerald waits until you have cleared the Magma Hideout.

Can more than one Pokémon learn the same HM?

Yes. HMs are never used up — teach the same move to as many Pokémon as you want, as often as you want.

Where to Find Every HM in Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald

Every Gen 3 HM location in Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald: who gives it, exactly where to go, and which Gym Badge unlocks using it in the field.

Hoenn has eight Hidden Machines, and every one of them lives behind a specific person in a specific building — nothing is buried on the ground waiting to be found. This guide lists exactly where each HM is, who hands it over, and the badge you need before the move actually works outside of battle.

Games: Ruby Sapphire Emerald
HMs: 8 — Cut, Fly, Surf, Strength, Flash, Rock Smash, Waterfall, Dive
Where: One giver each, spread across Hoenn’s towns, routes and caves
The catch: Holding an HM is not enough — its field use is locked behind a specific Gym Badge

All eight HMs at a glance

Every Hoenn HM: location, giver and the badge that unlocks its field use
HM	Move	Where	Given by	Badge for field use	Version differences
HM01	Cut	Rustboro City	The Cutter	Stone Badge	None
HM02	Fly	Route 119	Your rival, after a battle	Feather Badge	None
HM03	Surf	Petalburg City	Wally’s father	Balance Badge	None
HM04	Strength	Rusturf Tunnel	Wanda’s trapped boyfriend	Heat Badge	None
HM05	Flash	Granite Cave	A Hiker near the entrance	Knuckle Badge	None
HM06	Rock Smash	Mauville City	The “Rock Smash Dude”	Dynamo Badge	None
HM07	Waterfall	Sootopolis City	Ground item (R/S) or Wallace (Emerald)	Rain Badge	Ruby/Sapphire: found in the Cave of Origin. Emerald: gift from Wallace.
HM08	Dive	Mossdeep City	Steven Stone	Mind Badge	Emerald: Steven waits until you’ve cleared the Magma Hideout first.

Having the HM is not the same as using it

Most HMs arrive right around the badge that unlocks them, so the wait is usually short. Fly and Strength are the two exceptions — both come from detours well ahead of the badge that turns them on, so expect to carry them unused for a while.

HM01 Cut — Rustboro City

The Cutter lives in a house west of the Rustboro City Pokémon Center. His own Pokémon cleared the town’s trees during its expansion, and he hands HM01 (Cut) to any trainer who asks. You will already hold the Stone Badge from Roxanne’s gym by the time you visit, so Cut works outside of battle right away.

Rustboro City on the PokéMaps Hoenn map, home of the Cutter who gives HM01 — Rustboro City — the Cutter’s house sits west of the Pokémon Center.

HM02 Fly — Route 119

Your rival intercepts you partway up Route 119, north of Fortree City, for one more battle. Beat them and they hand over HM02 (Fly) on their way out. You cannot use it outside of battle yet — that needs the Feather Badge from Fortree’s Gym Leader Winona, which is still ahead of you at this point in the story.

Route 119 on the PokéMaps Hoenn map, where the rival battle awards HM02 Fly — Route 119 — the rival fight that hands over HM02 sits north of Fortree City.

HM03 Surf — Petalburg City

Beat your father Norman at the Petalburg City Gym and step back outside: Wally’s father is waiting to thank you for helping his son, and hands over HM03 (Surf) — Hoenn’s single most important field move, since it opens roughly half the region. The Balance Badge you just earned from Norman unlocks it immediately.

Petalburg City on the PokéMaps Hoenn map, where Wally’s father gives HM03 Surf — Petalburg City — Wally’s father meets you outside the Gym once Norman is beaten.

HM04 Strength — Rusturf Tunnel

Rusturf Tunnel connects Rustboro City and Verdanturf Town, and a rockfall blocks the middle of it — a man is trapped behind the rubble while his girlfriend Wanda waits outside. Clear the rocks with Rock Smash and he hands over HM04 (Strength) as thanks. Most players pick this up long before Lavaridge Town, so Strength sits unusable until the Heat Badge finally unlocks it.

The Rusturf Tunnel entrance on the PokéMaps Hoenn map, between Rustboro City and Verdanturf Town — Rusturf Tunnel — Wanda’s boyfriend gives HM04 once the rockfall is cleared.

HM05 Flash — Granite Cave

A Hiker just past the entrance on Granite Cave’s 1st floor gives out HM05 (Flash) for free, no requirement attached. It is worth grabbing early — the cave’s lower floors are otherwise pitch black. Field use needs the Knuckle Badge from Dewford’s Gym Leader Brawly, right next door.

The Granite Cave entrance on the PokéMaps Hoenn map, near Dewford Town — Granite Cave — the Hiker who gives HM05 stands just inside the entrance.

HM06 Rock Smash — Mauville City

A house on the southeast side of Mauville City holds an NPC players have nicknamed the “Rock Smash Dude.” Talk to him and he hands over HM06 (Rock Smash) on the spot. Field use needs the Dynamo Badge from Mauville’s own Gym Leader Wattson — if you visit the house before challenging him, the move waits until you do.

Mauville City on the PokéMaps Hoenn map, home of the “Rock Smash Dude” who gives HM06 — Mauville City — the Rock Smash giver lives in a house on the southeast side.

HM07 Waterfall — Sootopolis City

How you get Waterfall depends on the cartridge. In Ruby and Sapphire, it is a plain ground item waiting inside the Cave of Origin beneath Sootopolis City — no conversation required. In Emerald, Wallace — no longer the Gym Leader there, since Juan has taken his place — meets you in front of the Sootopolis Gym and hands it over personally once Rayquaza has stopped the fight between Groudon and Kyogre. Either way, the Rain Badge from the Sootopolis Gym is what turns Waterfall on outside of battle.

Sootopolis City on the PokéMaps Hoenn map, a ring-shaped city built around the Cave of Origin — Sootopolis City — HM07 comes from the Cave of Origin in R/S, or from Wallace in Emerald.

HM08 Dive — Mossdeep City

Steven Stone keeps HM08 (Dive) in his house in Mossdeep City. In Ruby and Sapphire, he simply gives it to you. In Emerald, he waits until you have cleared the Magma Hideout beneath the Mossdeep Space Center — visit him again once that is done. Field use needs the Mind Badge from Mossdeep’s own Gym Leaders, Tate and Liza.

Mossdeep City on the PokéMaps Hoenn map, where Steven Stone gives HM08 Dive from his house — Mossdeep City — Steven’s house holds HM08, the last field move in the region.

Quick answers

Do I need every HM to finish the main story?: Cut, Surf, Strength, Rock Smash and Waterfall all gate mandatory progress. Fly, Flash and Dive are optional for the story but open up fast travel, dark caves and underwater areas.
Can I use an HM before I have its badge?: Only in battle. You can teach the move the moment you receive it, but the overworld action — cutting, surfing, smashing rocks and so on — stays locked until the matching Gym Badge is yours.
Is HM07 Waterfall different between Ruby/Sapphire and Emerald?: Yes. Ruby and Sapphire leave it as a ground item inside the Cave of Origin. Emerald has Wallace hand it to you in front of the Sootopolis Gym after the Groudon/Kyogre event.
Where do I get Dive in Ruby and Sapphire versus Emerald?: Steven gives it in his Mossdeep City house in every version — Ruby and Sapphire hand it over right away, while Emerald waits until you have cleared the Magma Hideout.
Can more than one Pokémon learn the same HM?: Yes. HMs are never used up — teach the same move to as many Pokémon as you want, as often as you want.