The drive is the shape cut into the screw head — it decides which bit or driver fits. Using the wrong one (a Phillips bit in a Pozidriv head is the classic) cams out and chews up the head. Match the recess to the pictures below.
A single straight slot. The original — a flat-blade driver.
A cross with tapered ends. The everyday cross-head; a “PH” bit.
Like Phillips but with four extra fine lines. Needs a PZ bit, not PH.
A square socket. Grips hard and resists cam-out.
A six-point star. Common on decking, electronics, automotive. A “T” bit.
A six-sided socket. Takes a hex key / Allen wrench.
Slotted and Phillips in one head — driven by either.
Torx with a pin in the center — a standard bit won’t seat. Needs a security Torx bit.
Hex socket with a center pin. Needs a security (hollow) hex key.
Two round holes. Driven only by a matching two-pin spanner bit.
Three angled slots from the center. Aerospace and electronics; a tri-wing bit.
An offset cross — looks like Phillips but the arms are stepped. Needs a torq-set bit.
A slot that drives in but not out — a flat driver slips on removal. Install-only by design.
The Phillips vs. Pozidriv trap: they look nearly identical, but a Phillips bit in a Pozidriv screw (or vice-versa) cams out and rounds the head. Pozidriv has four faint extra lines between the cross arms — if you see them, reach for a PZ bit.
Need to remove a security screw? Most tamper-resistant drives have a matching bit — bring the screw or a clear photo and we’ll identify the drive and set you up with the right one. One-way (clutch) screws are the exception: they’re built not to come out, and usually need to be drilled or gripped out.
Stripped a head? That’s often a wrong-bit story — the right driver and a fresh screw usually beat fighting a chewed-up one.
