diff --git a/docs/usage/configuration-options.md b/docs/usage/configuration-options.md
index 47d809791fe8ecb0e06372eadecfae2935416b30..5f2bc37017576f4ec37df4e95c7e9498dcc3f40f 100644
--- a/docs/usage/configuration-options.md
+++ b/docs/usage/configuration-options.md
@@ -821,7 +821,9 @@ Renovate can fetch release notes when they are hosted on one of these platforms:
 
 ## fileMatch
 
-`fileMatch` is used by Renovate to know which files in a repository to parse and extract, and it is possible to override the default values to customize for your project's needs.
+`fileMatch` is used by Renovate to know which files in a repository to parse and extract.
+`fileMatch` patterns in the user config are added to the default values and do not replace them.
+The default `fileMatch` patterns cannot be removed, so if you need to include or exclude specific paths then use the `ignorePaths` or `includePaths` configuration options.
 
 Sometimes file matches are really simple - for example with Go Modules Renovate looks for any `go.mod` file, and you probably don't need to change that default.
 
diff --git a/docs/usage/modules/manager/index.md b/docs/usage/modules/manager/index.md
index cdaa59bdb7984f5e18fd906fce74bae3d1f7371a..d6051b6c54eb2d5f199f35ae566422e7e105ff18 100644
--- a/docs/usage/modules/manager/index.md
+++ b/docs/usage/modules/manager/index.md
@@ -48,9 +48,9 @@ If the default `fileMatch` regular expression for a manager does not match again
 
 #### Ignoring files that match the default fileMatch
 
-Renovate will _extend_ the existing `fileMatch`, meaning you don't need to include the default regular expressions like `Dockerfile` in your own array.
+Renovate will _extend_ the existing [`fileMatch`](/configuration-options/#filematch), meaning you don't need to include the default regular expressions like `Dockerfile` in your own array.
 In other words, the regular expression are "additive".
-If a manager matches a file that you _don't_ want it to, ignore it using the `ignorePaths` configuration option.
+If a manager matches a file that you _don't_ want it to, ignore it using the [`ignorePaths`](/configuration-options/#ignorepaths) configuration option.
 Also, if you ever find that Renovate is _not_ matching a file name that you're certain it should, check your preset config isn't the cause of it.
 The `config:base` preset ignores common test and example directory names, for example.