diff --git a/crates/ruma-common/src/identifiers/key_id.rs b/crates/ruma-common/src/identifiers/key_id.rs
index 6bcc08f9..5efff4a9 100644
--- a/crates/ruma-common/src/identifiers/key_id.rs
+++ b/crates/ruma-common/src/identifiers/key_id.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,36 @@ use super::{
 };
 
 /// A key algorithm and key name delimited by a colon.
+///
+/// Examples of the use of this struct are [`DeviceKeyId`], which identifies a Ed25519 or Curve25519
+/// [device key](https://spec.matrix.org/v1.12/client-server-api/#device-keys), and
+/// [`CrossSigningKeyId`], which identifies a user's [cross signing key](https://spec.matrix.org/v1.12/client-server-api/#cross-signing).
+///
+/// This format of identifier is often used in the `signatures` field of [signed JSON](https://spec.matrix.org/v1.12/appendices/#signing-details)
+/// where it is referred to as a "signing key identifier".
+///
+/// This struct is rarely used directly - instead you should expect to use one of the typedefs
+/// that rely on it like [`CrossSigningKeyId`] or [`DeviceSigningKeyId`].
+///
+/// # Examples
+///
+/// To parse a colon-separated identifier:
+///
+/// ```rust
+/// use ruma_common::{DeviceId, DeviceKeyAlgorithm, KeyId, OwnedKeyId};
+/// let k: OwnedKeyId<DeviceKeyAlgorithm, DeviceId> = KeyId::parse("ed25519:1").unwrap();
+/// assert_eq!(k.algorithm().as_str(), "ed25519");
+/// assert_eq!(k.key_name(), "1");
+/// ```
+///
+/// To construct a colon-separated identifier from its parts:
+///
+/// ```rust
+/// use ruma_common::{DeviceId, DeviceKeyAlgorithm, KeyId, OwnedKeyId};
+/// let k: OwnedKeyId<DeviceKeyAlgorithm, DeviceId> =
+///     KeyId::from_parts(DeviceKeyAlgorithm::Curve25519, "MYDEVICE".into());
+/// assert_eq!(k.to_string(), "curve25519:MYDEVICE");
+/// ```
 #[repr(transparent)]
 #[derive(IdZst)]
 #[ruma_id(