Pentalobe screw sizes include TS1 (0.8 mm, used on every iPhone starting with the iPhone 4), TS4 (1.2 mm, used on the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro with Retina display), and TS5 (1.5 mm, used on the 2009 MacBook Pro battery). However, since then, inexpensive pentalobe screwdrivers, manufactured by third parties, have become relatively easy to obtain. Apple attracted criticism upon the introduction of the pentalobe screw it was seen by some as an attempt to lock individuals out of their devices. They have since been used on other MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and iPhone models.

Pentalobe screws were adopted by Apple starting in 2009, when they were first implemented in the 15-inch MacBook Pro. The pentalobe security screw (Apple nomenclature), or pentalobe screw drive, is a five-pointed tamper-resistant system used by, but not limited to, Apple in their products.

2 pentalobe screws left and right of the lightning connector of an iPhone 6s Plus