Where to Find Every HM in Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald

Where to Find Every HM in Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald — Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire & Emerald guide card

Find all eight Hoenn HMs in Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald, with each location, giver and Badge needed for field use.

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Hoenn has eight HMs. This table shows where to get each one and which Badge unlocks it outside battle. In Ruby and Sapphire, Waterfall is found on the ground in the Cave of Origin; Emerald gives it through Wallace.

Games
Ruby Sapphire Emerald
Field use
Requires the matching Gym Badge

All eight HMs at a glance

Every Hoenn HM: location, giver and the badge that unlocks its field use
HM and moveWhereGiven byBadge for field useVersion differences
HM01 CutRustboro CityThe Cutter standing in his house in Rustboro CityThe CutterStone Badge
HM02 FlyRoute 119The Route 119 path east of the Weather Institute where the rival battle happensYour rival, after a battleFeather Badge
HM03 SurfPetalburg CityWally’s father standing inside Wally’s house in Petalburg CityWally’s fatherBalance Badge
HM04 StrengthRusturf TunnelThe Rusturf Tunnel entrance after the rockfall is clearedWanda’s boyfriendHeat Badge
HM05 FlashGranite CaveThe Hiker standing on the first floor of Granite CaveA Hiker near the entranceKnuckle Badge
HM06 Rock SmashMauville CityThe “Rock Smash Dude” standing in his house in Mauville City“Rock Smash Dude”Dynamo Badge
HM07 WaterfallSootopolis CityThe Sootopolis Gym where Wallace hands over HM07 in EmeraldWallace (Emerald)Rain BadgeRuby/Sapphire: found in the Cave of Origin.
HM08 DiveMossdeep CityThe entrance to Steven Stone’s house in Mossdeep CitySteven StoneMind BadgeEmerald: Steven waits until you’ve cleared the Magma Hideout first.

Two Pokémon can carry all eight between them: see the best HM helpers per game.

Having the HM is not the same as using it

Note — A held move, not a working tool: You can teach an HM as soon as you get it, but using it outside battle requires the matching Gym Badge. Rock Smash, for example, cannot clear Rusturf Tunnel until you earn the Dynamo Badge.

Fly and Strength can be found before you earn the Badges that unlock their field use.

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.

The player standing beside the Cutter, a man in a red shirt, inside his house in Rustboro City
Inside the Cutter’s house in Rustboro City: he is the man in the red shirt beside the table, with the player standing next to him. Talk to him and HM01 is yours. Select the image to open him on the interactive map. In-game screenshot, Pokémon Emerald (Game Boy Advance). © Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK.

HM02 Fly — Route 119

Your rival intercepts you partway up Route 119, just east of the Weather Institute, 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.

The player standing on short stone steps in a rock ledge on Route 119, with a river and a log bridge to the left
Route 119, east of the Weather Institute: your rival stops you on these short stone steps in the rock ledge. The rival is a one-time scripted event, so nobody stands here on a later visit. Select the image to open the spot on the interactive map. In-game screenshot, Pokémon Emerald (Game Boy Advance). © Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK.

HM03 Surf — Petalburg City

Beat your father Norman at the Petalburg City Gym, then call in at Wally’s house across the square: Wally’s father is waiting inside 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.

The player facing Wally’s father, a man in a red shirt, in the living room of Wally’s house in Petalburg City
Inside Wally’s house in Petalburg City: his father is the man in the red shirt on the left, facing the player, and Wally’s mother is at the table on the right. Once Norman is beaten, his father hands over HM03. Select the image to open him on the interactive map. In-game screenshot, Pokémon Emerald (Game Boy Advance). © Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK.

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 player on Route 116 facing the dark entrance of Rusturf Tunnel, with the tunnel sign beside it
Route 116, east of Rustboro City: the dark opening in the rock face is the west entrance of Rusturf Tunnel, with its sign to the right. Wanda’s boyfriend is inside, at the rockfall that blocks the passage. Smash the rocks and he hands over HM04. Select the image to open him on the interactive map. In-game screenshot, Pokémon Emerald (Game Boy Advance). © Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK.

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 Hiker standing on the first floor of Granite Cave, directly in front of the player, with the bright cave exit below them
Granite Cave, 1st floor: the Hiker stands straight ahead of the player, a few steps in from the entrance (the bright patch at the bottom of the frame). He gives HM05 to anyone who talks to him. Select the image to open him on the interactive map. In-game screenshot, Pokémon Emerald (Game Boy Advance). © Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK.

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.

The player standing beside the “Rock Smash Dude”, a man in a white lab coat, inside his house in Mauville City
Inside the house on Mauville City’s southeast side: the “Rock Smash Dude” is the man in the white lab coat, right of the player. One conversation and HM06 is yours. Select the image to open him on the interactive map. In-game screenshot, Pokémon Emerald (Game Boy Advance). © Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK.

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 — waits in front of the Sootopolis Gym once Rayquaza has stopped the fight between Groudon and Kyogre, and hands it over personally. Either way, the Rain Badge from that same Gym is what turns Waterfall on outside of battle.

The player standing in front of the Sootopolis Gym door, with the Gym sign to the right
The Sootopolis Gym on its small island, with the Gym sign to the right of the player. In Emerald, Wallace waits on the tile between the player and the Gym door once Rayquaza has stopped the fight, and hands HM07 over here. In Ruby and Sapphire the machine lies inside the Cave of Origin instead. Select the image to open the Gym on the interactive map. In-game screenshot, Pokémon Emerald (Game Boy Advance). © Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK.

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.

The player at the door of Steven’s house in the northwest corner of Mossdeep City
Mossdeep City: Steven’s house is the one the player is standing at, in the northwest corner of the city. Steven waits inside with HM08, the last field move in the region. Select the image to open him on the interactive map. In-game screenshot, Pokémon Emerald (Game Boy Advance). © Nintendo / Creatures / GAME FREAK.

HM locations in Hoenn: 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.