diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
index 6529791f0..16d11e6b5 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -1360,13 +1360,16 @@ don't exist yet.
 #### [`PAPERLESS_CONSUMER_IGNORE_PATTERNS=<json>`](#PAPERLESS_CONSUMER_IGNORE_PATTERNS) {#PAPERLESS_CONSUMER_IGNORE_PATTERNS}
 
 : Additional regex patterns for files to ignore in the consumption directory. Patterns are matched against filenames only (not full paths)
-using Python's `re.match()`, which anchors at the start of the filename.
+using Python's `re.search()`. Use `^` to anchor a pattern to the start of the filename and `$` to anchor it to the end.
 
     See the [watchfiles documentation](https://watchfiles.helpmanual.io/api/filters/#watchfiles.BaseFilter.ignore_entity_patterns)
 
     This setting is for additional patterns beyond the built-in defaults. Common system files and directories are already ignored automatically.
     The patterns will be compiled via Python's standard `re` module.
 
+    These are regular expressions, not glob patterns. For example, the glob pattern `._*` does not mean "starts with `._`" when used as a
+    regular expression; it matches nearly any non-empty filename. Use `^\._.*` for that behavior instead.
+
     Example custom patterns:
 
     ```json
@@ -1381,7 +1384,11 @@ using Python's `re.match()`, which anchors at the start of the filename.
 
     Defaults to `[]` (empty list, uses only built-in defaults).
 
-    The default ignores are `[.DS_Store, .DS_STORE, ._*, desktop.ini, Thumbs.db]` and cannot be overridden.
+    The built-in file patterns are equivalent to the following regular expressions and cannot be overridden:
+
+    ```json
+    ["^\\.DS_Store$", "^\\.DS_STORE$", "^\\._.*", "^desktop\\.ini$", "^Thumbs\\.db$"]
+    ```
 
 #### [`PAPERLESS_CONSUMER_IGNORE_DIRS=<json>`](#PAPERLESS_CONSUMER_IGNORE_DIRS) {#PAPERLESS_CONSUMER_IGNORE_DIRS}