diff --git a/content/manuals/build/building/registry-auth.md b/content/manuals/build/building/registry-auth.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4a190540d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/content/manuals/build/building/registry-auth.md
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+---
+title: Registry authentication
+description: Select registry credentials by repository and scope for builds
+keywords: build, buildx, registry, authentication, credentials, login, scope
+weight: 35
+---
+
+Buildx uses Docker's credential configuration to authenticate when pulling
+images for a build and pushing build results. Sign in to the registry before
+building:
+
+```console
+$ docker login registry.example.com
+```
+
+See the [`docker login` reference](/reference/cli/docker/login/) for credential
+stores and authentication methods.
+
+## Select credentials by repository and scope
+
+Buildx can load separate Docker credential configurations for specific
+registry repositories and token scopes. Use this when a build needs different
+credentials for repositories on the same registry, or for pull and push
+requests.
+
+Store each Docker `config.json` in a directory under
+`$BUILDX_CONFIG/config/<registry>[/<repository>][@<scope>[,<scope>...]]`.
+If `BUILDX_CONFIG` isn't set, use the
+[config directory lookup order](./variables.md#buildx_config). Repository
+paths must match the full repository name. Scopes are registry token actions,
+such as `pull` and `push`.
+
+For example, the default config directory can contain:
+
+```text
+~/.docker/buildx/config/
+└── registry.example.com/
+    └── team/
+        ├── app@pull/
+        │   └── config.json
+        └── app@pull,push/
+            └── config.json
+```
+
+Populate these files with Docker credential configurations. For example, use
+the Docker CLI's `--config` flag to store credentials in the pull config
+directory:
+
+```console
+$ docker --config \
+    ~/.docker/buildx/config/registry.example.com/team/app@pull \
+    login registry.example.com
+```
+
+Use a different config directory and credentials for the combined `pull,push`
+scope. Buildx prefers repository-specific matches over registry-wide matches,
+then prefers the match with more scope actions. Every action in a config's
+directory suffix must be present in the requested scope.
+
+If no alternative matches, Buildx uses the normal Docker credential config.
+Alternative matching applies when authentication requests contain a single
+repository scope; requests involving multiple repositories use the normal
+config.
+
+This is a Buildx-specific compatibility mechanism. Docker commands don't
+automatically select these configs by repository or scope. The `--config`
+example only chooses where `docker login` stores credentials.
diff --git a/content/manuals/build/building/variables.md b/content/manuals/build/building/variables.md
index f709a7cc8c..a106fc17c7 100644
--- a/content/manuals/build/building/variables.md
+++ b/content/manuals/build/building/variables.md
@@ -554,6 +554,9 @@ Usage:
 $ export BUILDX_CONFIG=/usr/local/etc
 ```
 
+For repository- and scope-specific credentials stored under this directory,
+see [Registry authentication](./registry-auth.md).
+
 ### BUILDX_CPU_PROFILE
 
 {{< summary-bar feature_name="Buildx CPU profile" >}}