A screw that spins freely without backing out has lost its grip, either in the screw head or in the material around it. The fix depends on which part failed. If your screwdriver slips across the top without catching, the head is stripped. If the screw turns smoothly but never moves upward, the threads in the surrounding material have worn away. Both problems are fixable with common tools and a few simple techniques.
Why the Screw Is Spinning
A screw holds itself in place through friction between its threads and the surrounding material. When that friction disappears, the screw just rotates in its hole like a wheel on an axle. This happens for a few reasons. Over-tightening is one of the most common: once a screw is flush with the surface, continuing to drive it can chew up the threads in the material or round out the head. Using the wrong size or type of screwdriver does the same thing to the head, grinding down the recess until nothing catches.
Soft materials like particleboard, drywall, or thin plastic are especially prone to thread stripping because the screw encounters less resistance going in. Cheap screws made from low-quality metal also strip more easily. And in older installations, corrosion can eat away at a steel screw’s head until the recess is too degraded for a driver to grab.
Stripped Head: Getting a Grip Again
If the problem is a rounded-out screw head, your first goal is restoring enough friction for a driver to catch and turn it.
The Rubber Band Method
Place a wide rubber band flat over the damaged screw head, then press your screwdriver through the rubber band into the recess. The rubber fills the gaps in the worn-out head and creates friction between the driver and the screw. Push down firmly while turning. This works best on screws that are only partially stripped. For badly damaged heads, you’ll need something stronger.
Switch to a Flat Head Screwdriver
Even if the screw originally had a Phillips head, a flat head screwdriver can sometimes catch on what’s left of the recess. Press hard at a slight angle to wedge the tip into any remaining groove, then turn slowly. This takes some arm strength, but it works when there’s still enough metal in the head to bite against.
Super Glue a Driver to the Head
Apply a small amount of super glue to the screw head, press a screwdriver tip into the recess, and hold it steady while the glue sets. The bond doesn’t need to be permanent, just strong enough to transfer turning force for a few rotations. For larger screws, you can epoxy a hex nut directly onto the screw head, creating a makeshift bolt you can turn with a wrench. Make sure the nut is centered on the screw shaft and let the epoxy cure fully before applying torque.
Use a Screw Extractor
A screw extractor is a tapered bit with reverse threading. You chuck it into a drill, set the drill to reverse, and press it into the damaged screw head. As it spins counterclockwise, the reverse threads dig into the screw metal while simultaneously backing it out. Good extractor sets come as double-ended bits, with a burnishing end on one side and the extractor on the other.
The process: first, use a center punch to tap a small indentation in the middle of the screw head. This keeps your drill bit from wandering. Then drill a shallow guide hole (about 1/8 to 1/4 inch deep) using a bit slightly smaller than the screw. Flip to the extractor end, set your drill to reverse, and turn it into the guide hole at very slow speed with steady downward pressure. The extractor will twist down until it grabs, then keep turning to walk the screw out. If it doesn’t bite, drill or bore out a bit more of the head and try the next size up.
Some extractor sets have a burnishing end that drills directly into the screw head, which lets you skip the punching and separate drilling steps entirely.
Stripped Threads: When the Hole Is the Problem
If the screw turns easily and your driver grips the head just fine, the threads in the surrounding material are gone. The screw has nothing to pull against, so it spins in place without moving up or down. The fix here is different: you need to either pull the screw out mechanically or restore the hole so it can hold threads again.
Pull It Out While Turning
The simplest approach is to apply outward force while unscrewing. Grip the screw head with locking pliers (Vise-Grips), squeeze tight, and turn counterclockwise while pulling straight out. Without thread resistance, even light outward force is usually enough to walk the screw free. If the head is too flush to grab with pliers, slide a flat pry bar or putty knife under the head to create upward leverage while you turn the screwdriver.
Fixing a Stripped Hole in Wood
Once the spinning screw is out, the hole is too wide for the same screw to grip again. The classic fix: dip three or four wooden toothpicks in wood glue, pack them into the hole, wipe off excess glue with a damp cloth, and let it dry for about an hour. Score the toothpicks flush with the surface using a utility knife and snap them off. The glue-hardened toothpicks fill the void and give new threads something to bite into. You can also use wooden matchsticks or small dowel pieces for larger holes.
For a stronger repair, drill out the stripped hole to a clean diameter, glue in a wooden dowel that fits snugly, let it cure, then drill a new pilot hole and drive the screw into fresh wood. This is worth the extra effort for load-bearing connections like door hinges or shelf brackets.
Fixing a Stripped Hole in Metal
Metal threads that have been stripped need a more permanent solution. A threaded insert (commonly called a Helicoil) restores the hole to its original thread size. Most kits include everything you need: a specific drill bit, a specialty tap, and an installation tool.
Start by drilling out the damaged threads using the exact bit size specified in the kit. Keeping the drill straight is critical here, because any misalignment will cause the insert to sit crooked. If you’re working with aluminum or harder metals, use cutting fluid to reduce heat. Next, use the included tap to cut new, slightly larger threads in the hole. Turn it slowly, apply cutting fluid, and reverse the tap to remove it once the threads are fully cut. Finally, thread the coiled insert onto the installation tool and turn it clockwise into the freshly tapped hole until it sits about a quarter to half a turn below the surface. The insert creates factory-quality threads inside the repaired hole.
Using the wrong drill size is the most frequent cause of insert failure. If the hole is too large, the insert won’t grip the surrounding metal and will spin or pull out under load.
Preventing Screws From Spinning in the First Place
Most spinning screws start with over-tightening. Stop driving the moment the screw head is flush with the surface, or when you feel firm resistance. If you’re using a power drill, switch to a low torque setting or finish the last few turns by hand. Always match your driver to the screw: a Phillips to a Phillips, a flat to a flat, and the right size for the recess. A driver that’s too small concentrates force on the edges and rounds them out quickly.
For soft materials like particleboard or MDF, drill a pilot hole first. This gives the screw threads something solid to track through rather than compressing and crumbling the material. In wood, pilot holes should be slightly narrower than the screw’s core diameter. In very soft or crumbly material, consider using coarse-threaded screws or specialty fasteners designed for that substrate. A little prevention here saves a lot of toothpick-and-glue repairs later.