How to Remove a Stripped Screw

September 7, 2026

Get a screw with a chewed-up head out using a rubber band, a manual screwdriver, a screw extractor bit, locking pliers, or a cut slot, in that order.

Applies to: ordinary household fixtures and materials. Last checked September 7, 2026. Suggest an edit

The screwdriver spins in the head and the screw does not move. Work through these methods from least to most effort. The first two get most screws out.

Press harder with the right bit

Most stripped heads come from the wrong size bit. Match the bit to the screw: a Phillips #2 fits most household and furniture screws, a #1 the small ones. Push down hard and turn slowly. If using a drill, set it to the lowest speed and the highest torque setting.

Drive through a rubber band

Lay a wide rubber band flat over the screw head, press the bit through it into the head, and turn slowly with heavy downward pressure. The rubber fills the chewed-out grooves and gives the bit something to grip. A piece of steel wool or abrasive kitchen scrub pad works the same way.

Switch to a manual screwdriver

A drill spins too fast to bite. A hand screwdriver with a fat handle lets you lean your body weight onto the screw while turning. For more twist, clamp locking pliers onto the screwdriver shaft near the handle and use the pliers as a lever.

Use a screw extractor bit

A screw extractor set costs a few dollars and fits any drill. Each bit has two ends. Use the burr end first: run the drill in reverse to cut a shallow cone into the screw head. Flip the bit to the extractor end, keep the drill in reverse, press hard, and go slowly. The reverse threads on the extractor bite into the screw and back it out.

Grip the head with locking pliers

If any of the screw head stands above the surface, clamp locking pliers onto it as tightly as they will go and turn counterclockwise. Wrap the jaws in a rag if the surface around the screw needs protecting.

Cut a new slot

As a last resort, cut a single straight slot across the head with a rotary tool and a metal cutting wheel. Wear safety glasses; the wheel throws sparks and metal grit. Then back the screw out with a flat screwdriver wide enough to fill the new slot.

For the replacement screw. Use a fresh screw, never the stripped one, and drill a pilot hole slightly narrower than the screw shaft so it drives in without the bit slipping.