Variable Interest Entities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing receivables, net	[1]	$ 72,353		$ 72,353		$ 110,255
Investment securities (Note 3)	[1]	36,933		36,933		38,400
Other Assets	[1]	45,793		45,793		47,905
Nonrecourse Borrowings	[1]	16,225		16,225		19,369
Other Liabilities	[1]	60,685		60,685		63,720
Total revenues of consolidated VIEs	[1]	31,680	$ 32,107	92,731	$ 94,595
Provision for Loan and Lease Losses	[1]	738	858	4,636	2,693
Interest And Other Financial Charges	[1]	1,462	1,325	3,976	3,975
Appliances
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Current Receivables		724		724		686
Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing receivables, net		24,567		24,567		26,675
Current Receivables		3,623		3,623		3,537
Investment securities (Note 3)		1,412		1,412		3,374
Other Assets		2,193		2,193		3,423
Assets VIE		31,795		31,795		37,009
Borrowings		990		990		517
Nonrecourse Borrowings		16,225		16,225		18,095
Other Liabilities		1,523		1,523		2,870
Liabilities VIE		18,738		18,738		21,482
Total revenues of consolidated VIEs		1,635	1,792	5,049	4,966
Provision for Loan and Lease Losses		189	244	714	791
Interest And Other Financial Charges		78	70	218	197
Other 1 [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing receivables, net		531		531		1,030
Current Receivables		489		489		509
Investment securities (Note 3)		1,011		1,011		1,005
Other Assets		2,002		2,002		2,345
Assets VIE		4,033		4,033		4,889
Borrowings		990		990		517
Nonrecourse Borrowings		69		69		436
Other Liabilities		1,282		1,282		1,490
Liabilities VIE		2,341		2,341		2,443
Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Commingled cash amounts owed to CSEs		939		939		1,091
Commingled cash receivable from CSEs		170		170		391
Industrial Equipment Joint Venture [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets VIE		466		466
Liabilities VIE		466		466
Power Generating And Leasing [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets VIE		331		331
Liabilities VIE		187		187
Insurance Entities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets VIE		1,126		1,126
Liabilities VIE		564		564
GECC
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing receivables, net	[1]	83,748		83,748		122,457
Investment securities (Note 3)	[1]	36,868		36,868		38,320
Other Assets	[1]	19,155		19,155		23,198
Nonrecourse Borrowings	[1]	16,225		16,225		19,369
Other Liabilities	[1]	11,330		11,330		9,549
Total revenues of consolidated VIEs	[1]	6,312	6,384	17,452	19,223
Provision for Loan and Lease Losses	[1]	738	858	4,636	2,693
Interest And Other Financial Charges	[1]	1,151	$ 1,061	3,096	$ 3,184
GECC | Trinity [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing receivables, net		0		0		0
Current Receivables		0		0		0
Investment securities (Note 3)		401		401		2,369
Other Assets		45		45		17
Assets VIE		446		446		2,386
Borrowings		0		0		0
Nonrecourse Borrowings		0		0		0
Other Liabilities		193		193		1,022
Liabilities VIE		193		193		1,022
Intercompany Advances Eliminated In Consolidation		15		15		1,565
GECC | Credit Card Receivable [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing receivables, net		24,036		24,036		25,645
Current Receivables		0		0		0
Investment securities (Note 3)		0		0		0
Other Assets		144		144		1,059
Assets VIE		24,180		24,180		26,704
Borrowings		0		0		0
Nonrecourse Borrowings		13,640		13,640		14,967
Other Liabilities		20		20		332
Liabilities VIE		13,660		13,660		15,299
GECC | Trade Receivable [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing receivables, net		0		0		0
Current Receivables		3,134		3,134		3,028
Investment securities (Note 3)		0		0		0
Other Assets		2		2		2
Assets VIE		3,136		3,136		3,030
Borrowings		0		0		0
Nonrecourse Borrowings		2,516		2,516		2,692
Other Liabilities		28		28		26
Liabilities VIE		$ 2,544		$ 2,544		$ 2,718

[1] Amounts may not add due to rounding.