Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common malignancy and the third leading cause of cancer death globally. Despite advancements in early diagnosis, most HCC cases are still detected at advanced stages, with patients often presenting significant comorbidities, leaving only 30% eligible for surgical resection. In this context, effective liver-directed therapies are crucial for improving local tumor control while maintaining maximal preservation of liver function. Thermal ablation (TA) has shown outcomes comparable to surgery in very-early and early stage tumors, with recent studies supporting it as a first-line treatment option. This chapter discusses the patient selection and tumor characteristics, ablation techniques, and their clinical applications on HCC management.