What does the UserAgent “Macintosh” or “Mac OS” mean in web radio logs?

What is the UserAgent “Macintosh” or “Mac OS”?

If the UserAgent “Macintosh” or “Mac OS” appears in your web radio logs, this means that your stream was played on an Apple computer – for example on a :

  • iMac
  • MacBook (Air/Pro)
  • Mac mini
  • or a Mac Studio / Mac Pro

These devices run with macOS – Apple’s desktop operating system.

What does a typical Mac user agent look like?

An example of access via Safari:

Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 13_5) AppleWebKit/605.1.15...

You can recognize this:

  • “Macintosh” = Apple device
  • “Mac OS X 13_5” = macOS version used
  • Access was via Safari (or another browser)

Apps on the Mac – e.g. iTunes, VLC or myTuner – can also identify themselves in this way.

Which programs do macOS listeners use?

Users on macOS access it frequently:

  • Safari, Chrome or Firefox (browser access)
  • iTunes or Apple Music (especially for .pls/.m3u streams)
  • VLC Media Player – Download for macOS
  • myTuner Radio for Mac – in the Mac App Store
  • Sometimes also via terminal tools such as ffplay or curl

What does the UserAgent “Macintosh” say about your listeners?

If you see a lot of accesses with “Macintosh” or “Mac OS” in the logs, this shows:

  • Your listeners use Apple computers
  • Access is often via browsers or desktop apps
  • It is usually used in the office, home office or at home

Mac users are often regarded as loyal, tech-savvy listeners with high standards of quality and operation.

Conclusion: Mac accesses are desktop listeners with style

The UserAgent “Macintosh” or “Mac OS” shows that your stream is being played on Apple computers. These users are often traveling for work or value design and function – and listen specifically, not randomly.