diff --git a/src/corelib/global/qsystemdetection.h b/src/corelib/global/qsystemdetection.h
index 50acd688d64..77d22917d3e 100644
--- a/src/corelib/global/qsystemdetection.h
+++ b/src/corelib/global/qsystemdetection.h
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
 
 #if defined(__APPLE__) && (defined(__GNUC__) || defined(__xlC__) || defined(__xlc__))
 #  include <TargetConditionals.h>
+#  define Q_OS_APPLE
 #  if defined(TARGET_OS_MAC) && TARGET_OS_MAC
 #    define Q_OS_DARWIN
 #    define Q_OS_BSD4
diff --git a/src/corelib/global/qsystemdetection.qdoc b/src/corelib/global/qsystemdetection.qdoc
index 210f865ffe6..11750e8cf73 100644
--- a/src/corelib/global/qsystemdetection.qdoc
+++ b/src/corelib/global/qsystemdetection.qdoc
@@ -23,6 +23,16 @@
     \relates <QtSystemDetection>
 
     Defined on Darwin-based operating systems such as \macos, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS.
+
+    \note Unless you are dealing with code specific to the Darwin kernel,
+    prefer Q_OS_APPLE to refer to the family of Apple operating systems.
+*/
+
+/*!
+    \macro Q_OS_APPLE
+    \relates <QtSystemDetection>
+
+    Defined on Apple operating systems such as \macos, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS.
 */
 
 /*!