Precision Pentalobe Screwdriver Set, 0.8 mm, 1.2 mm, 1.5 mm (P2/TS1, P5/TS4, P6/TS5) for Apple iPhone, MacBook Pro, Air Retina

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I immediately noticed something odd about the Japanese phones: they had different screws on the bottom! These new screws looked like very small Torx (I guessed T3 at the time) but were actually something far more insidious. An Evil Ascending Pentalobe screwdriver sets are a must-have for anyone who frequently repairs or maintains Apple products such as iPhones, MacBooks, and iPads. These screwdrivers feature a unique five-pointed star-shaped tip that is specifically designed to fit into the small screws found on Apple devices. The sets typically include multiple sizes of screwdrivers to ensure compatibility with different devices and components. With a high-quality pentalobe screwdriver set, users can easily and safely open and repair their Apple devices without causing any damage to the delicate internal components. It’s similar to a Torx—except that the points have a rounder shape, and it has five points instead of six. Apple’s service manuals refer to them as “Pentalobular” screws, which is a descriptive enough term. It’s certainly better than what I came up with, which was “Evil Proprietary Tamper Proof Five Point Screw.” It’s best I stay out of the naming business. If you take your phone into Apple for any kind of service, they will sabotage it by replacing your screws with the new tamper-resistant screws. Making things worse, Apple has used three different sizes of this screw head so far. Here’s the rundown: Mid-2009 MacBook Pro

Foresman, Chris (January 20, 2011). "Apple 'screwing' new iPhones out of simple DIY repair". Ars Technica . Retrieved January 28, 2012. The iPhone 4 has one of the smallest screw heads we’ve seen, probably for cosmetic reasons. This 5-point Pentalobe screw is actually slightly smaller than a Torx T1. Yowsers that’s tiny. The shape looks a little rough because this tiny screw is giving Apple’s manufacturing process a run for its money. Current MacBook AirThis screw head clearly has one purpose: to keep you out. Otherwise, Apple would use it throughout each device. Instead, they only use it at the bulwark—on the outside case of your iPhone and MacBook Air, and protecting the battery on the Pro—so they can keep you out of your own hardware. Wiens, Kyle. "MacBook Pro 15" Retina Display Mid 2012 Teardown". Repair Guide. ifixit.com . Retrieved January 28, 2012. Use the MacBook Pro 5-Point Torx Screwdriver if you’d like to remove your laptop’s battery. It’s the best way to ensure you don’t fry any sensitive components on machine while performing a repair. Wiens, Kyle (May 6, 2016). "Huawei Just Copied the iPhone—Down to the Last Screw". Wired . Retrieved February 26, 2017.

When I was a kid, I begged my dad to let me help him with his weekend projects. I’d follow him around with a flashlight in one hand, his toolbox in the other. We sang Simon and Garfunkel’s “ Cecilia” in perfect harmony while we worked. Whenever he tasked me to shine my flashlight on something for further investigation, I felt like the chosen one. And when he’d ask me for a screwdriver, I’d reply: “ Phillips or flathead?” These pentalobe, 5 point heads are not to be confused with Torx heads which have 6 points. A "IPR" designation identical to "PL" is sometimes seen due to the confusion. It is possible that ambiguous "TS" nomenclature is the same as the "PL" designation when referring to Pentalobe screws. Pentalobe screws reappeared in the mid-2012 version of the MacBook Pro. Eight 3mm and two 2.3mm pentalobe screws were used externally to attach the bottom plate of the case to the internal frame. [5] The late-2012 version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro was the first 13-inch model to have pentalobe screws; several were used externally in a similar fashion to the 15-inch mid-2012 MacBook Pro. [6] None of the three 17-inch models of the MacBook Pro have used any pentalobe screws.Pentalobe screw sizes include TS1 (0.8mm, used on every iPhone starting with the iPhone 4), TS4 (1.2mm, used on the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro with Retina display), and TS5 (1.5mm, used on the 2009 MacBook Pro battery). The TS designation is ambiguous as it is also used for the Torq-set screw drive. iPhone 4 (Late), 4S, 5, 5C, 5S, 6, 6 Plus, 6S, 6S Plus, SE, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, iPhone X, Huawei P9 Kaneshige, Tome (January 20, 2011). "The Case of Apple's Mystery Screw". International Data Group. Archived from the original on January 18, 2012 . Retrieved January 28, 2012. Apple is switching to a new type of tamper-resistant screw. This is not a standard Torx, and there are no readily available screwdrivers that can remove it. This isn’t the first time they’ve used this type of screw—it first appeared in the mid-2009 MacBook Pro to prevent you from replacing the battery—and Apple is using a similar screw on the outer case of the current MacBook Air. This screw is the primary reason the 11″ MacBook Air earned a lousy repairability score of 4 out of 10 in our teardown last October.