Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	*Basis of Presentation* The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by Equinix, Inc. (“Equinix” or the “Company”) and reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, which in the opinion of management are necessary to fairly state the financial position and the results of operations for the interim periods presented. The condensed consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2014 has been derived from audited consolidated financial statements as of that date. The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), but omit certain information and footnote disclosure necessary to present the statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“GAAP”). For further information, refer to the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in Equinix’s Form 10-K as filed with the SEC on March 2, 2015. Results for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results for the entire fiscal year.
Consolidation	*Consolidation* The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Equinix and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Income Taxes	*Income Taxes* In September 2012, the Company announced that its Board of Directors approved a plan for Equinix to pursue conversion to a real estate investment trust (“REIT”). On December 23, 2014, its Board of Directors formally approved its conversion to a REIT effective on January 1, 2015. The Company completed the implementation of the REIT conversion in 2014, and as a result the Company has elected to be treated as a REIT for federal income tax purposes effective January 1, 2015. In May 2015, the Company received a favorable response to the private letter ruling (“PLR”) it had requested from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) in connection with the Company’s conversion to a REIT for federal income tax purposes. As a result, the Company may deduct the distributions made to its shareholders from taxable income generated by the Company and its Qualified REIT Subsidiaries (“QRSs”). The Company’s dividends paid deduction generally eliminates the taxable income of the Company and its QRSs, resulting in no U.S. income tax due. However, the Taxable REIT Subsidiaries (“TRSs”) will continue to be subject to income taxes on any taxable income generated by them. In addition, the foreign operations of the Company will continue to be subject to local income taxes regardless of whether the foreign operations are operated as a QRS or a TRS. The Company provides for income taxes during interim periods based on the estimated effective tax rate for the year. The effective tax rate is subject to change in the future due to various factors such as the operating performances of the REIT and TRSs, tax law changes and future business acquisitions. The Company’s effective tax rates were 9.2% and 18.3% for the six months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The decrease in the effective tax rate is primarily due to the reduced tax rate as a result of the REIT conversion. As a REIT, the Company is entitled to a deduction for dividends paid, resulting in a substantial reduction of federal income tax expense.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	*Recent Accounting Pronouncements* In May 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2015-07, Fair Value Measurement, which permits a reporting entity, as a practical expedient, to measure the fair value of certain investments using the net asset value per share of the investment. This ASU is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those fiscal years with early adoption permitted. A reporting entity should apply the amendment retrospectively to all periods presented. The retrospective approach requires that an investment for which fair value is measured using the net asset value per share practical expedient be removed from the fair value hierarchy in all periods presented in an entity’s financial statements. The Company does not believe the adoption of ASU 2015-07 will have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements. In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Interest – Imputation of Interest (“ASU 2015-03”), to simplify the presentation of debt issuance costs. The ASU requires debt issuance costs to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the debt liability, consistent with debt discounts or premiums. The recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs is not affected by this ASU. This ASU is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of this standard will have on its consolidated financial statements. In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, Consolidations (“ASU 2015-02”). This ASU requires companies to adopt a new consolidation model, specifically: (1) the ASU modifies the evaluation of whether limited partnerships and similar legal entities are variable interest entities (VIEs) or voting interest entities; (2) the ASU eliminates the presumption that a general partner should consolidate limited partnership; (3) the ASU affects the consolidation analysis of reporting entities that involved with VIEs and (4) the ASU provides a scope exception from consolidation guidance for reporting entities with interests in legal entities that are required to comply with or operate in accordance with requirements that are similar Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 for registered money market funds. This ASU is effective for fiscal years, and for interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of this standard will have on its consolidated financial statements. In January 2015, FASB issued ASU 2015-01, Income Statement – Extraordinary and Unusual Items (“ASU 2015-01”), to simplify the income statement presentation requirements by eliminating the concept of extraordinary items. ASU 2015-01 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted provided that the guidance is applied from the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The Company does not believe the adoption of ASU 2015-01 will have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements. In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern (“ASU 2014-15”), to provide guidance on management’s responsibility in evaluating whether there is substantial doubt about a company’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. ASU 2014-15 is effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, with early adoption permitted. The Company does not believe the adoption of ASU 2014-15 will have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”). This ASU requires companies to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which companies expect to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This ASU will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in GAAP when it becomes effective. This ASU is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016. On July 9, 2015, the FASB decided to delay the effective date of this standard to annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The FASB permitted early adoption of this standard, but with an adoption date no earlier than December 15, 2016, the original effective date of this ASU. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of this standard will have on its consolidated financial statements.
Cash Flow Hedges	Cash Flow Hedges. The Company hedges its exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations for forecasted revenues and expenses in its EMEA region in order to help manage the Company’s exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations between the U.S. dollar and the British pound, Euro and Swiss franc.
Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments	*Derivatives Not Designated as Hedging Instruments* Embedded Derivatives. The Company is deemed to have foreign currency forward contracts embedded in certain of the Company’s customer agreements that are priced in currencies different from the functional or local currencies of the parties involved. These embedded derivatives are separated from their host contracts and carried on the Company’s balance sheet at their fair value. The majority of these embedded derivatives arise as a result of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries pricing their customer contracts in the U.S. dollar. Gains and losses on these embedded derivatives are included within revenues in the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of operations. During the three months ended June 30, 2015, the Company recognized a net loss of $2,057,000 and during the three months ended June 30, 2014, gains (losses) from these embedded derivatives were not significant. During the six months ended June 30, 2015, gains (losses) from these embedded derivatives were not significant and during the six months ended June 30, 2014, the Company recognized a net loss of $2,416,000, respectively, associated with these embedded derivatives. Economic Hedges of Embedded Derivatives. The Company uses foreign currency forward contracts to manage the foreign exchange risk associated with the Company’s embedded derivatives (“economic hedges of embedded derivatives”). Gains and losses on these contracts are included in revenues along with gains and losses of the related embedded derivatives. The Company entered into various economic hedges of embedded derivatives during the three and six months ended June 30, 2015 and 2014. Gains (losses) from these contracts were not significant for the periods then ended. Foreign Currency Forward and Option Contracts. The Company also uses foreign currency forward and options contracts to manage the foreign exchange risk associated with certain foreign currency-denominated assets and liabilities. As a result of foreign currency fluctuations, the U.S. dollar equivalent values of the foreign currency-denominated assets and liabilities change. Gains and losses on these contracts are included in other income (expense), net, along with those foreign currency gains and losses of the related foreign currency-denominated assets and liabilities associated with the foreign currency forward and options contracts. During the three and six months ended June 30, 2015, the Company recognized a net loss of $12,719,000 and $2,462,000, respectively. During the three and six months ended 2014, the Company recognized a net gain of $2,017,000 and $2,901,000, respectively.
Segment Information	While the Company has a single line of business, which is the design, build-out and operation of IBX data centers, it has determined that it has three reportable segments comprised of its Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific geographic regions. The Company’s chief operating decision-maker evaluates performance, makes operating decisions and allocates resources based on the Company’s revenue and adjusted EBITDA performance both on a consolidated basis and based on these three reportable segments.

Disclosure of accounting policy for income taxes, which may include its accounting policies for recognizing and measuring deferred tax assets and liabilities and related valuation allowances, recognizing investment tax credits, operating loss carryforwards, tax credit carryforwards, and other carryforwards, methodologies for determining its effective income tax rate and the characterization of interest and penalties in the financial statements.