diff --git a/doc/fix_setforce.html b/doc/fix_setforce.html
index 454e46a0ee..747678ae10 100644
--- a/doc/fix_setforce.html
+++ b/doc/fix_setforce.html
@@ -44,7 +44,9 @@ fix 2 edge setforce NULL 0.0 v_oscillate
 values fx,fy,fz.  This erases all previously computed forces on the
 atom, though additional fixes could add new forces.  This command can
 be used to freeze certain atoms in the simulation by zeroing their
-force, assuming their initial velocity zero.
+force, either for running dynamics or performing an energy
+minimization.  For dynamics, this assumes their initial velocity is
+also zero.
 </P>
 <P>Any of the fx,fy,fz values can be specified as NULL which means do not
 alter the force component in that dimension.
@@ -86,10 +88,10 @@ fix are "extensive".
 the <A HREF = "run.html">run</A> command.
 </P>
 <P>The forces due to this fix are imposed during an energy minimization,
-invoked by the <A HREF = "minimize.html">minimize</A> command.  You should not
-specify force components with a variable that has time-dependence for
-use with a minimizer, since the minimizer increments the timestep as
-the iteration count during the minimization.
+invoked by the <A HREF = "minimize.html">minimize</A> command, but you cannot set
+forces to any value besides zero when performing a minimization.  Use
+the <A HREF = "fix_addforce.html">fix addforce</A> command if you want to apply a
+non-zero force to atoms during a minimization.
 </P>
 <P><B>Restrictions:</B> none
 </P>
diff --git a/doc/fix_setforce.txt b/doc/fix_setforce.txt
index c4b51e7011..a1c28b24de 100644
--- a/doc/fix_setforce.txt
+++ b/doc/fix_setforce.txt
@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@ Set each component of force on each atom in the group to the specified
 values fx,fy,fz.  This erases all previously computed forces on the
 atom, though additional fixes could add new forces.  This command can
 be used to freeze certain atoms in the simulation by zeroing their
-force, assuming their initial velocity zero.
+force, either for running dynamics or performing an energy
+minimization.  For dynamics, this assumes their initial velocity is
+also zero.
 
 Any of the fx,fy,fz values can be specified as NULL which means do not
 alter the force component in that dimension.
@@ -76,10 +78,10 @@ No parameter of this fix can be used with the {start/stop} keywords of
 the "run"_run.html command.
 
 The forces due to this fix are imposed during an energy minimization,
-invoked by the "minimize"_minimize.html command.  You should not
-specify force components with a variable that has time-dependence for
-use with a minimizer, since the minimizer increments the timestep as
-the iteration count during the minimization.
+invoked by the "minimize"_minimize.html command, but you cannot set
+forces to any value besides zero when performing a minimization.  Use
+the "fix addforce"_fix_addforce.html command if you want to apply a
+non-zero force to atoms during a minimization.
 
 [Restrictions:] none