System Information (Mac)

This redirect is about Mac OS's system profiler. For the generic program, see System profiler.

System Profiler

File:System Profiler icon.png
File:System Profiler.png System Profiler under OS X 10.5.0
Developer(s)	Apple Computer
Stable release	10.8 (807) / July 20, 2011
Operating system	Mac OS 7.6 — OS X
Type	system profiler
License	Propietary
Website	support.apple.com/guide/system-information/welcome/mac

System Information (previously known as System Profiler) is a software utility derived from field service diagnostics produced by Apple's Service Diagnostic Engineering team, at that time located in Apple satellite buildings in Campbell, California, that has been bundled with the Mac OS since Mac OS 7.6 (until OS X it was called Apple System Profiler). Sometime between 10.6.8 and 10.7.2, System Profiler had its named changed to System Information.

It compiles technical information on all of the installed hardware, devices, drivers, applications, system settings, system software programs and kernel extensions installed on the host computer. It can export this information as plain text, RTF or in the plist XML format. This information is used to diagnose problems. System Profiler can be extremely useful if attempting to diagnose a hardware problem. A user can send the information directly to Apple if the user desires. It has support for scripting automation through AppleScript and some limited support in Automator.

System information can also be accessed by using the "system_profiler" command through a Terminal application. For more information, execute man system_profiler or "system_profiler -h" in an OS X terminal application.