Revenues by Revenue Source (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Advertising revenues	$ 36,531	$ 28,236	$ 22,889
Other revenues	1,374	1,085	762
Revenues	37,905	29,321	23,651
Google websites
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Advertising revenues	26,145	19,444	15,723
Google Network Members' websites
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items]
Advertising revenues	$ 10,386	$ 8,792	$ 7,166

Revenue from the sale of advertising time (such as television and radio) or space (newspaper or magazine pages). May also include advertising, marketing and promotional services rendered during the reporting period.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

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- Definition

Revenues from the sale of other goods or rendering of other services, not elsewhere specified in the taxonomy; net of (reduced by) sales adjustments, returns, allowances, and discounts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 5

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1(a),(d))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

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- Definition

Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 5

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

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