diff --git a/include/linux/iio/iio.h b/include/linux/iio/iio.h
index faf00f2c0be6..f191b80466cd 100644
--- a/include/linux/iio/iio.h
+++ b/include/linux/iio/iio.h
@@ -488,8 +488,15 @@ struct iio_buffer_setup_ops {
 
 /**
  * struct iio_dev - industrial I/O device
- * @modes:		[DRIVER] operating modes supported by device
- * @currentmode:	[INTERN] current operating mode
+ * @modes:		[DRIVER] bitmask listing all the operating modes
+ *			supported by the IIO device. This list should be
+ *			initialized before registering the IIO device. It can
+ *			also be filed up by the IIO core, as a result of
+ *			enabling particular features in the driver
+ *			(see iio_triggered_event_setup()).
+ * @currentmode:	[INTERN] operating mode currently in use, may be
+ *			eventually checked by device drivers but should be
+ *			considered read-only as this is a core internal bit
  * @dev:		[DRIVER] device structure, should be assigned a parent
  *			and owner
  * @buffer:		[DRIVER] any buffer present