8 Types of Screwdrivers and How to Use Them

These are the screwdrivers everyone should know, plus when and how to use them.

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone unfamiliar with a screwdriver. However, “screwdriver” colloquially encompasses several different types of handheld tools, each suited for a specific use and tailored toward driving a particular type of fastener.

 

Common Types of Screwdrivers

Best for: High-torque Phillips applications, construction, remodeling

Pozidriv screwdrivers look a lot like Phillips screwdrivers. You may have mistaken them for one another. The Pozidriv screwdriver is an improved Phillips variation. It still features the same “X” style drive tip but integrates a secondary, smaller “X” between the wings, which greatly increases the grip of the Pozidriv screwdriver when used with Pozidriv screws.

Best for: Automotive repair, hardware repair and adjustment, fixture repair and adjustment

Hex screwdrivers, often called Allen-head screwdrivers, are drivers with six-sided drive tips. Unlike the six-sided drive tip of a Torx driver, the six sides of the hex screwdriver are flat like a hexagon. Hex drivers come in many styles, such as screwdrivers, bits, sockets, and hex keys, which are L-shaped tools with hex drivers on each end.

Hex drivers come in a wide range of sizes, from tiny hex drivers suited for hard-to-see fasteners to massive drivers that can handle highly torqued fasteners.

Best for: Electronics repair, glasses repair, jewelry repair

Precision screwdrivers are tiny iterations of common screwdriver styles, such as Phillips, flathead, and Torx. While you likely won’t find a use for precision screwdrivers when remodeling your kitchen, these mini screwdrivers are irreplaceable for tasks like adjusting glasses, working on electronics, tightening jewelry, servicing tools, or anything that requires a tiny screwdriver tip.

Precision screwdrivers function the same as standard screwdrivers but often feature a spinning cap, which allows the user to place their finger on top of the tool to steady it as they work.

Best for: Construction, remodeling, automotive, trailer repair

Robertson screwdrivers consist of a simple square drive tip, leading them to more commonly be called square drivers. The Robertson screwdriver’s square shape was the original answer to screw slippage, as it gripped better than flathead and Phillips screwdrivers.

While still commonly used, many manufacturers opt for Torx heads instead of Robertson heads for high-torque applications that require minimal slippage and maximum driving power.

 

Best for: Automotive, framing, DIY, woodworking, high-torque fastener requirements

Torx screwdrivers drive fasteners with a recessed six-sided “star” head, leading them to often be called “star bits.” Star-head screws and fasteners are used whenever the user needs to be able to torque the fastener with minimal slippage for demanding projects like building a deck.

The minimal slipping and maximum drive power of a Torx bit is thanks to the high grip offered by the star design, which greatly increases the contact surface area between the bit and the head of the fastener. The self-centering head has six surfaces to push against as it tightens or loosens the fastener.

Best for: Tamper-proof applications

A security T driver is almost identical to a standard Torx driver. So much so that you may not notice the difference at first glance. To differentiate the two, look down at the tip. The security T driver features a small indentation in the center of the tip, while the standard Torx driver is flat on the tip.

This indentation fits over a raised detail in a security T fastener, preventing the fastener from being loosened by a standard Torx driver. This adds an extra layer of security for items that shouldn’t be tampered with.

Best for: General home maintenance and repair, DIY projects, construction, remodeling

The Phillips screwdriver is the second most commonly used screwdriver and likely one that nearly everyone is familiar with. The drive tip of a Phillips screwdriver features the same flat end of a flathead with the addition of a second perpendicular wing. This slides into a fastener with an “X” slot on its head.

The added perpendicular wing self-centers the drive tip in the fastener, allowing it to hold better during tightening and loosening.

Best for: Remodeling, electrical projects, automotive repair, finish work, low-torque applications

Flathead screwdrivers, sometimes called slotted-head screwdrivers or flat screwdrivers, are still among the most commonly used screwdrivers. They’re simple and work well for many applications.

Consisting of a flat drive tip that fits into a single slot on a screw head, the flathead screwdriver is incredibly basic yet effective. In some way, every screwdriver on this list is an improvement or modification of the original flathead screwdriver.