diff --git a/docs/usage/configuration-options.md b/docs/usage/configuration-options.md
index 0c626b5262f7c33bc6c672d9132d0b097153f234..10f6c161de366f489bc8c04005ee500e4dabc110 100644
--- a/docs/usage/configuration-options.md
+++ b/docs/usage/configuration-options.md
@@ -1078,8 +1078,18 @@ The above is the same as if you wrote this package rule:
 
 ## ignorePaths
 
-Using this setting, you can selectively ignore package files that you don't want Renovate autodiscovering.
-For instance if your repository has an "examples" directory of many package.json files that you don't want to be kept up to date.
+Renovate will extract dependencies from every file it finds in a repository, unless that file is explicitly ignored.
+With this setting you can selectively ignore package files that would normally be "autodiscovered" and updated by Renovate.
+
+For instance if you have a project with an `"examples/"` directory you wish to ignore:
+
+```json
+{
+  "ignorePaths": ["**/examples/**"]
+}
+```
+
+Useful to know: Renovate's default ignore is `node_modules` and `bower_components` only, however if you are extending the popular `config:base` preset then it adds ignore patterns for `vendor`, `examples`, `test(s)` and `fixtures` directories too.
 
 ## ignorePrAuthor