Share-Based Compensation (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Stock Options [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Non-Vested Synovus Shares And Restricted Share Units [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Non-Vested Synovus Shares And Restricted Share Units [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Non-Vested Synovus Shares And Restricted Share Units [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Non-vested Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Non-vested Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2005 Performance-Vesting Shares [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 2007 Omnibus Plan [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Shares of authorized but unissued common stock reserved for future grants														23,855,801	[1]
Vesting period minimum (years)				3 years	2 years
Vesting period maximum (years)				3 years	2 years
Non-option awards granted				3,330,293	3,815,942	844,205					0	0	63,386
Non-option awards granted, weighted-average grant-date fair value (per share)	$ 2.05			$ 2.07	$ 2.65	$ 2.80					$ 0.00	$ 0.00
Stock options granted	4,586,666	0	3,442,586
Options granted, weighted-average exercise price (per share)	$ 2.05	$ 0.00	$ 2.80
Share-based compensation expense	$ 9,399,000	$ 6,029,000	$ 7,158,000
Tax benefit recognized from compensation expense	3,600,000		128,000
Unrecognized compensation cost	9,000,000			5,700,000			3,300,000
Grant-date fair value of options granted	$ 1.03		$ 1.50
Options outstanding, aggregate intrinsic value	1,800,000
Options exercisable, aggregate intrinsic value	31,000
Options outstanding, weighted average remaining contractual term (years)	4 years 8 months 9 days
Options exercisable, weighted average remaining contractual term (years)	2 years 11 months 12 days
Total grant date fair value of stock options vested	2,900,000	1,500,000	2,300,000
Unrecognized compensation cost, period of recognition (years)				1 year 5 months 5 days			1 year 6 months 15 days
Non-option awards vested, total fair value								3,500,000	356,000	5,100,000
Cash received from exercise of stock options			269,000
Salary stock units, granted	770,573
Salary stock units	1,900,000
Tax deficiency realized from exercise of options	$ 715,000	$ 677,000	$ 3,000,000

[1] Does not include information for equity compensation plans assumed by Synovus in mergers. A total of 186,438 shares of Common Stock were issuable upon exercise of options granted under plans assumed in mergers and outstanding at December 31, 2012. The weighted average exercise price of all options granted under plans assumed in mergers and outstanding at December 31, 2012 was $7.46. Synovus cannot grant additional awards under these assumed plans.