Condensed Financial Information Of Synovus Financial Corp. (Parent Company Only) (Condensed Statements Of Operations) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Expenses
Interest expense																	$ 150,023	$ 217,602	$ 334,248
Other expenses																	816,237	903,765	1,009,576
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes	(72,299)		30,514		37,347		35,916		26,979		37,118		(43,764)		(79,864)		31,477	(59,532)	(849,170)
Loss from continuing operations attributable to controlling interest																	771,506	(118,712)	(891,350)
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes																			43,162	[1]
Net loss attributable to controlling interest																	830,209	(60,624)	(790,678)
Dividends and accretion of discount on preferred stock																	58,703	58,088	57,510
Net loss attributable to common shareholders	709,304	[2]	16,030	[2]	24,803	[2]	21,369	[2]	12,779	[2]	15,667	[2]	(53,504)	[2]	(93,654)	[2]	771,506	(118,712)	(848,188)
Parent Company [Member]
Income
Cash dividends received from bank subsidiaries																	0	0	43,874
Management and information technology fees from subsidiaries																	0	0	185,279
Interest income																	18,424	30,057	36,074
Other income																	11,343	(141)	8,922
Total income																	29,767	29,916	274,149
Expenses
Interest expense																	47,975	34,767	33,809
Other expenses																	16,584	14,177	224,100
Total expense																	64,559	48,944	257,909
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes																	(34,792)	(19,028)	16,240
Allocated income tax (benefit) expense																	(54,184)	(13,715)	(153,729)
Income (loss) before equity in undistributed net income (loss) of subsidiaries																	19,392	(5,313)	169,969
Equity in undistributed net loss of subsidiaries																	810,817	(55,311)	(1,003,809)
Loss from continuing operations attributable to controlling interest																	830,209	(60,624)	(833,840)
Income from discontinued operations, net of income taxes																	0	0	43,162
Net loss attributable to controlling interest																	830,209	(60,624)	(790,678)
Dividends and accretion of discount on preferred stock																	58,703	58,088	57,510
Net loss attributable to common shareholders																	$ 771,506	$ (118,712)	$ (848,188)

[1] Includes a pre-tax gain of $69.5 million ($42.4 million net of tax) from the sale of the merchant services business in March 2010.

[2] The fourth quarter of 2012 results reflect a $796.3 million income tax benefit due primarily to the reversal of substantially all of the deferred tax asset valuation allowance. For additional discussion of the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets, see "Part II - Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data - Note 24 - Income Taxes" of this Report.