How to Remove a Stripped Screw (6 Methods That Work)

October 8, 2026

To remove a stripped screw, start with the gentlest method that can still grip: a rubber band or a fresh, correctly sized bit pressed in hard. If the recess is too far gone, grab the head with pliers or cut a new slot, and save the screw extractor and the drill for screws that refuse everything else. The six methods below are in that order, with the details that make each one work on screws in metal as well as wood and plastic.

What you need

A screwdriver or drill/driver with the correct bit type. A 46-piece 1/4-inch socket and bit set covers slotted, Phillips, Pozidriv, hex and Torx.
A wide rubber band or a little valve grinding compound
Locking pliers
Penetrating oil and a pick or stiff brush
For badly stripped screws: a 6-piece screw extractor set and a drill with a reverse setting
Safety glasses

Before you try anything: stop the damage

Every turn of a slipping bit polishes the recess smoother, so stop the moment you feel it cam out. Then work out why it slipped.

Wrong bit type. Pozidriv screws, common in Europe in self-assembly furniture and some car interiors, have four small extra lines between the cross slots. A Phillips bit fits them loosely and slips. Many Japanese vehicles, especially motorcycles, use JIS cross-head screws, often marked with a small dot, which a Phillips bit also fits poorly.
Worn or undersized bit. A rounded bit tip strips screws. Use a fresh one, in the largest size that seats fully.
Not enough push. Cross-head screws need more pressure into the screw than turning force. Lean on it.
Dirt and corrosion. Pick paint and dirt out of the recess so the bit seats to full depth. On metal parts, spray penetrating oil around the head and give it at least 15 minutes, or overnight if it's rusty.

Method 1: The rubber band trick

It's free, and it works surprisingly often on a lightly stripped cross-head screw where the recess still has some shape left.

Lay a wide, flat rubber band over the screw head.
Push the bit through the band into the recess. The rubber fills the worn gaps.
Press hard and turn slowly counterclockwise, by hand if you can. A drill spins too fast and tears the band.

A dab of valve grinding compound on the bit tip works the same way, with more bite. On a rusted screw in metal, neither trick adds enough grip, so move on.

Method 2: A better bit, tapped in

Often the fix is simply more contact between bit and screw.

Try the next size up (for example PH3 instead of PH2) if it seats deeper into the damaged recess.
Seat the bit, then give the back of the screwdriver a couple of firm hammer taps to drive it into the recess. Only do this on solid metal parts, never on plastic housings or anything fragile.
Turn with heavy pressure into the screw.

For a stripped hex (Allen) socket screw, tap a Torx bit slightly larger than the hex into it. The Torx lobes cut into the soft, rounded edges and give you fresh grip.

For cross-head screws seized in metal, such as the screws that hold the brake discs on many cars, a hand impact driver is the classic tool. Set it to loosen, seat the bit and hit the back with a hammer. The blow drives the bit in and turns it at the same moment, so it can't cam out.

Method 3: Grip the head with pliers

If the head stands above the surface, forget the recess and grab the outside.

Adjust locking pliers so they clamp onto the head with real force. If they close easily, they're too loose.
Grip as low on the head as you can.
Turn counterclockwise with steady pressure. Re-clamp if they start to slip.

This works well on pan-head, round-head and hex-washer screws. It does nothing for countersunk screws that sit flush.

Method 4: Cut a new slot

A rotary tool with a thin cutting disc, or a fine hacksaw, can cut a straight slot across the head so you can use a flat-blade screwdriver.

Put on safety glasses and mask the surrounding paint with tape.
Cut straight across the center of the head, to about half the head's depth.
Use the widest flat blade that fits the slot snugly, press hard and turn.

On a flush countersunk screw you'll cut into the surrounding surface, so this method suits raised heads best.

Method 5: Use a screw extractor

When the recess is too damaged for any bit, a screw extractor makes its own grip. The JUSMIR extractor set uses double-ended bits: one end cuts a clean seat in the damaged head, the other end bites into that seat and backs the screw out. It works with an ordinary drill.

Choose the bit whose cutting end sits inside the damaged recess without reaching the outer edge of the head. The set runs from #0, the smallest, to #4.
Put the cutting end in the drill. Set the drill to reverse and the lowest speed (low gear on a two-speed drill).
Hold the drill exactly in line with the screw, press firmly and cut a shallow seat, roughly 1.5 to 3 mm (1/16 to 1/8 in) deep, until you see clean, bright metal.
Flip the bit to the extractor end. Keep the drill in reverse.
Press hard and run the drill slowly. The extractor bites and the screw starts to turn out.

Speed is what ruins this job: fast spinning strips the seat you just cut. Never use an impact driver with an extractor. For the full technique, including how to avoid snapping a bit, read how to use a screw extractor without breaking it.

Method 6: Drill off the head

This is the last resort, for screws whose head is destroyed or where an extractor can't get a bite. It frees the part first, then you deal with what's left of the screw.

Center punch the middle of the head so the drill bit doesn't wander.
If you have a left-handed drill bit, try it first with the drill in reverse. It often catches and spins the screw out before the head is gone.
Otherwise, use a normal bit slightly larger than the screw's shank but smaller than the head. Drill slowly, with a drop of cutting oil in metal, until the head comes off.
Lift the part off. With the clamping load gone, the stub that's left often turns out easily with locking pliers.

Stripped screws in metal: extra tips

Screws in car bodies, brackets and engine parts are usually held by rust or threadlocker, not just tightness.

Give penetrating oil time to work, and reapply it.
A few sharp taps on the head with a hammer and punch can crack the rust bond.
Heat helps, but only with care. Penetrating oil is flammable, so wipe it off first, and never use a flame near fuel lines, wiring, plastic or rubber parts. Keep a fire extinguisher close.
Steel screws in aluminum parts strip the aluminum threads easily, so stop forcing them once the resistance feels wrong.

Mistakes to avoid

Spinning a slipping bit at full speed. It turns a slightly damaged recess into a smooth hole.
Jumping straight to drilling. The gentler methods often work and don't put the threads at risk.
Using the wrong bit type, especially Phillips in Pozidriv or JIS screws.
Reusing the damaged screw. Fit a new one of the same size and grade.

When to call a pro

If the screw has snapped off below the surface, sits in an engine block or cylinder head, or holds a brake or suspension part and you're not confident, a mechanic or machine shop is cheaper than a ruined thread. They can drill accurately on center and repair damaged threads with an insert.

FAQ

How do you remove a stripped screw without an extractor?

Try a rubber band between bit and screw, a fresh bit tapped into the recess, locking pliers on a raised head, or a new slot cut with a rotary tool. If none of those work, drilling off the head is the remaining option.

Which drill setting should I use on a stripped screw?

Reverse, low gear and the slowest speed, with as much pressure into the screw as you can hold steady. A stripped screw comes out with pressure and patience, not speed.