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I have a fairly recent laptop. It works really well, except that the screws in it keep dropping out. This must be because I have taken it apart to mend or upgrade it that many times, that the teeth have worn down.
It's not the part of the screw which fits into the screwdriver, it's the tooth spiralled along the shaft of the screw which is worn, or the corresponding groove in the hole in the laptop. What can I do, that the laptop screws will stay screwed in and not drop out like this?
the problem with putting glue down the screw hole as a repair is that most glues will grip the screw threads tightly and will not want to unscrew at all. This grip can be so great that you will shear off the screw head before unlocking the threads.
What I do is look for the next larger size screw and see if it can be made to fit in the assembly. If it will, then it will cut fresh thread grooves into the stripped-out plastic part and hold tight without glue.
If this does not work, then I backfill the stripped screw hole with a mix of epoxy and wheat flour (the most flour with the least possible amount of epoxy in it), let it harden completely, and then very carefully drill a pilot hole through this mix and then screw in the screw.
In wood work, If you try to insert a screw into a larger hole a trick is to place a match stick into the hole beside the screw to give the screw something to bite into and wedge itself inside.
as in this picture:
What is likely to have happened is that the holes that you are screwing in and out of will be plastic and will have worn away somewhat.
You could try adding some "Loctite" or other alternative glue type substance to see if that will hold the screw in place, you wouldn't need a lot to fix the screw into place.
alternatively if the casing is metal and the screws are unthreaded, you can purchase a replacement set online for pennies. (I know not a life hack but would be a more professional fix).
Wrap the threads with a layer of tape. Any tape will do, but I prefer electrical tape, because it is thin, pliable, and doesn't tear easy.
Edit: I will note that there's actually nothing wrong with your screws. It's your case that needs help. Whatever you have been doing is damaging, and whichever solution you choose, you should be careful on the pressure you apply on the screws.
