Removing a stripped tiny screw without wrecking the device

Try these first, in order

Stop turning the moment it slips. Every extra turn removes more metal to grip.

• Press harder, straight down, with the correct driver size. Most 'stripped' screws are just the wrong bit.
• Lay a wide rubber band or a scrap of latex glove over the head and turn slowly through it.
• Add a drop of valve grinding paste or a dab of superglue on the bit (careful — glue can bond the screw in).
• Cut a shallow slot across the head with a rotary tool cutting disc and use a flat blade.
• Use a left-hand micro drill bit or a screw extractor sized for M1.6-M3.
• Last resort: drill the head off, lift the part away, then grip the exposed shank with pliers.

Prevention beats extraction

Match the driver exactly: PH00 is not PH0, and a Phillips bit in a JIS screw will round it every time.

Set torque low. Small screws in plastic bosses need almost nothing — finger tight and a nudge.

Replace stripped screws rather than reusing them. A fresh screw costs pennies; the housing does not.

Common questions

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