diff --git a/docs/api.md b/docs/api.md
index 7db6bbc7e..3a648c3e9 100644
--- a/docs/api.md
+++ b/docs/api.md
@@ -211,6 +211,21 @@ However, querying the tasks endpoint with the returned UUID e.g.
 `/api/tasks/?task_id={uuid}` will provide information on the state of the
 consumption including the ID of a created document if consumption succeeded.
 
+## Document Versions
+
+Document versions are file-level versions linked to one root document.
+
+-   Root document metadata (title, tags, correspondent, document type, storage path, custom fields, permissions) remains shared.
+-   Version-specific file data (file, mime type, checksums, archive info, extracted text content) belongs to the selected/latest version.
+
+Version-aware endpoints:
+
+-   `GET /api/documents/{id}/`: returns root document data; `content` resolves to latest version content by default. Use `?version={version_id}` to resolve content for a specific version.
+-   `PATCH /api/documents/{id}/`: content updates target the selected version (`?version={version_id}`) or latest version by default; non-content metadata updates target the root document.
+-   `GET /api/documents/{id}/download/`, `GET /api/documents/{id}/preview/`, `GET /api/documents/{id}/thumb/`, `GET /api/documents/{id}/metadata/`: accept `?version={version_id}`.
+-   `POST /api/documents/{id}/update_version/`: uploads a new version using multipart form field `document` and optional `version_label`.
+-   `DELETE /api/documents/{root_id}/versions/{version_id}/`: deletes a non-root version.
+
 ## Permissions
 
 All objects (documents, tags, etc.) allow setting object-level permissions
diff --git a/docs/usage.md b/docs/usage.md
index ca57e9018..5269f7556 100644
--- a/docs/usage.md
+++ b/docs/usage.md
@@ -89,6 +89,16 @@ You can view the document, edit its metadata, assign tags, correspondents,
 document types, and custom fields. You can also view the document history,
 download the document or share it via a share link.
 
+### Document File Versions
+
+Think of versions as **file history** for a document.
+
+-   Versions track the underlying file and extracted text content (OCR/text).
+-   Metadata such as tags, correspondent, document type, storage path and custom fields stay on the "root" document.
+-   By default, search and document content use the latest version.
+-   In document detail, selecting a version switches the preview, file metadata and content (and download etc buttons) to that version.
+-   Deleting a non-root version keeps metadata and falls back to the latest remaining version.
+
 ### Management Lists
 
 Paperless-ngx includes management lists for tags, correspondents, document types