diff --git a/ddtrace/_monkey.py b/ddtrace/_monkey.py
index 488211e46b1..ff7747ce395 100644
--- a/ddtrace/_monkey.py
+++ b/ddtrace/_monkey.py
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ def on_import(hook):
 
 def patch_all(**patch_modules):
     # type: (bool) -> None
-    """Automatically patches all available modules.
+    """Enables ddtrace library instrumentation.
 
     In addition to ``patch_modules``, an override can be specified via an
     environment variable, ``DD_TRACE_<module>_ENABLED`` for each module.
diff --git a/docs/basic_usage.rst b/docs/basic_usage.rst
index 4e438e154bb..7f8f6cbb9cb 100644
--- a/docs/basic_usage.rst
+++ b/docs/basic_usage.rst
@@ -3,39 +3,19 @@
 Basic Usage
 ===========
 
-Tracing
-~~~~~~~
+Automatic Instrumentation
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
 ``ddtrace.auto``
 ----------------
 
-To set up instrumentation within your application, call :ref:`import ddtrace.auto<ddtraceauto>` as early as possible
+To enable full ddtrace support (library instrumentation, profiling, application security monitoring, dynamic instrumentation, etc.) call :ref:`import ddtrace.auto<ddtraceauto>` as the very first thing
 in your application. This will only work if your application is not running under ``ddtrace-run``.
 
-``patch_all``
--------------
-
-For fine-grained control over instrumentation setup, use ``patch_all`` as early as possible
-in the application::
-
-  from ddtrace import patch_all
-  patch_all()
-
-To toggle instrumentation for a particular module::
-
-  from ddtrace import patch_all
-  patch_all(redis=False, cassandra=False)
-
-By default all supported libraries will be instrumented when ``patch_all`` is
-used.
-
-**Note:** To ensure that the supported libraries are instrumented properly in
-the application, they must be patched *prior* to being imported. So make sure
-to call ``patch_all`` *before* importing libraries that are to be instrumented.
-
-More information about ``patch_all`` is available in the :py:func:`patch_all<ddtrace.patch_all>` API
-documentation.
+Note: Some Datadog products and instrumentation are disabled by default. Products and instrumentation can be enabled/disable via environment variables, see :ref:`configurations <Configuration>` page for more details.
 
+Tracing
+~~~~~~~
 
 Manual Instrumentation
 ----------------------
diff --git a/docs/index.rst b/docs/index.rst
index 3d19a4fbf14..23c0cd48a06 100644
--- a/docs/index.rst
+++ b/docs/index.rst
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ contacting support.
 
 .. [1] Libraries that are automatically instrumented when the
   :ref:`ddtrace-run<ddtracerun>` command is used or the ``import ddtrace.auto`` import
-  is used. Always use ``patch()``, ``patch_all()``, and ``import ddtrace.auto`` as soon
+  is used. Always use ``import ddtrace.auto`` as soon
   as possible in your Python entrypoint.
 
 .. [2] only the synchronous client
diff --git a/docs/installation_quickstart.rst b/docs/installation_quickstart.rst
index 4cfc4d670d1..2d879a072b3 100644
--- a/docs/installation_quickstart.rst
+++ b/docs/installation_quickstart.rst
@@ -59,24 +59,6 @@ When ``ddtrace-run`` cannot be used, a similar start-up behavior can be achieved
 with the import of ``ddtrace.auto``. This should normally be imported as the
 first thing during the application start-up.
 
-If neither ``ddtrace-run`` nor ``import ddtrace.auto`` are suitable for your application, then
-:py:func:`ddtrace.patch_all` can be used to configure the tracer::
-
-    from ddtrace import config, patch_all
-
-    config.env = "dev"      # the environment the application is in
-    config.service = "app"  # name of your application
-    config.version = "0.1"  # version of your application
-    patch_all()
-
-
-.. note::
-    We recommend the use of ``ddtrace-run`` when possible. If you are importing
-    ``ddtrace.auto`` as a programmatic replacement for ``ddtrace``, then note
-    that integrations will take their configuration from the environment
-    variables. A call to :py:func:`ddtrace.patch_all` cannot be used to disable
-    an integration at this point.
-
 
 Service names also need to be configured for libraries that query other
 services (``requests``, ``grpc``, database libraries, etc).  Check out the