diff --git a/docs/ref/settings.txt b/docs/ref/settings.txt
index 0eac229c16..32ba5f0ced 100644
--- a/docs/ref/settings.txt
+++ b/docs/ref/settings.txt
@@ -1366,8 +1366,8 @@ MEDIA_ROOT
 
 Default: ``''`` (Empty string)
 
-Absolute path to the directory that holds media for this installation, used
-for :doc:`managing stored files </topics/files>`.
+Absolute filesystem path to the directory that will hold :doc:`user-uploaded
+files </topics/files>`.
 
 Example: ``"/var/www/example.com/media/"``