Quick Answers

What Is a User Agent?

The user agent is a header your browser or script sends to describe itself, such as "Chrome 130 on Windows". Proxies do not change it; your code does.

By Team of Monkeys Editorial Updated 1 min read Affiliate disclosure

This guide contains affiliate links to Geonode, Webshare and Rayobyte. If you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

What Is a User Agent illustration: the user agent is a header your browser or script sends to describe itself, such as Chrome 130 on Windows 3jdej38j4

The short answer

The User-Agent is an HTTP header such as Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) ... Chrome/130 .... It tells the website what software is asking. Scripts have their own defaults, like python-requests/2.32, which many sites block on sight.

Tips

  • A proxy does not change your user agent. Set it in your code or browser.
  • Make it consistent with everything else: a Chrome user agent should come with Chrome-like headers and TLS fingerprint.
  • Do not rotate it randomly on every request in the same session; real people do not switch browsers mid-visit.
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Quick question, quick answer. GIF via Tenor

Also known as

UA string, User-Agent header, browser identification string.

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Affiliate disclosure: Team of Monkeys is an affiliate of Geonode, Webshare and Rayobyte. Links and banners marked as sponsored, and links to Geonode, Webshare and Rayobyte in the text, use our referral links, and we may earn a commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Our explanations and comparisons are written to be useful whichever provider you choose.

Editorial note: Proxy providers change their pools, features and prices often, so treat any figures here as typical ranges at the time of writing and confirm current terms with the provider before you buy.
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