The Pentalobe screw, also known as the "Evil Proprietary Tamper Proof Five Point Screw," is Apple's favorite fastener. It’s similar to a Torx—except that the points have a rounder shape, and it has five points instead of six. When Apple implemented it in 2009 no reputable suppliers sold the screwdrivers that Apple technicians used. We reverse-engineered the screw and manufactured our own drivers, turning this security measure into another insignificant speed bump that fixers can easily bypass.
Initially, automobile manufacturers used 6-pointed Torx screws to lock emissions units in automobiles– now they are found everywhere, from mobile phones to residential construction. Even Apple jumped on the tamper-proof train with the original 128K Macintosh. The reverse-engineers of the world found a way to un-screw themselves by creating Torx bits, Torx Security bits, and, in most recent years, Torx Plus bits. Now, any member of the general public with access to a hardware store also has access to their Torx-guarded things.
The tip of the Torx Security (we call it a TR#) screw head has a small hole in the center which differs from a standard Torx screw head (we call it a T#). Torx Security screwdrivers can fit standard and security Torx screws.
We refer to the Y-type screw as a “tri-point,” but you will commonly see it called a “tri-wing” on Amazon and elsewhere on the internet. An actual tri-wing screw has three slotted "wings" and a small triangular hole in the center. The slots are offset and do not intersect the center of the fastener.
Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) screws do not provide a cam-out option and have 90-degree corners. Phillips (PH) screws are designed to make a Phillips screwdriver cam out if too much torque is applied. This prevents damage to screws and screwdrivers or bits. Even though there is a difference between JIS and PH screws, an official iFixit PH000 driver should not damage a JIS000 screw because we manufacture our Phillips bits to be cross-compatible with JIS screws.
Quality Guaranteed
We've spent more than a decade vetting sources and suppliers, and all of our parts and tools are backed by our quality guarantee.
