Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity (Unaudited) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Total USD ($)	Private Forward Repurchase Transaction [Member]	Total Wells Fargo stockholders' equity [Member] USD ($)	Preferred stock [Member] USD ($)	Common stock [Member] USD ($)	Additional paid-in capital [Member] USD ($)		Additional paid-in capital [Member] Private Forward Repurchase Transaction [Member] USD ($)	Retained earnings [Member] USD ($)	Cumulative other comprehensive income [Member] USD ($)	Treasury stock [Member] USD ($)	Treasury stock [Member] Private Forward Repurchase Transaction [Member] USD ($)	Unearned ESOP shares [Member] USD ($)	Noncontrolling interests [Member] USD ($)
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	$ 127,889		$ 126,408	$ 8,689	$ 8,787	$ 53,426			$ 51,918	$ 4,738	$ (487)		$ (663)	$ 1,481
Shares, Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2010				10,185,303	5,262,283,228
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	11,762		11,762						11,762
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling interests	266													266
Net income (loss)	12,028
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent			(910)							(910)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest										(10)				(10)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(920)									(920)
Noncontrolling interests, adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital			(39)			(39)
Noncontrolling interests														(261)
Total change in noncontrolling interests	(300)
Common stock, issued	1,014		1,014		68	946
Common stock, shares issued					40,877,396
Common stock repurchased	(1,762)		(1,762)			(150)					(1,612)
Common stock repurchased, shares					(59,201,762)
Preferred stock issued to ESOP	0		0	1,200		102							(1,302)
Preferred stock issued to ESOP, shares				1,200,000
Preferred stock released by ESOP	824		824			(70)							894
Preferred stock converted to common shares	0		0	(824)	47	777
Preferred stock converted to common shares, shares				(824,411)	28,261,663
Common stock warrants repurchased	(1)		(1)			(1)
Preferred stock, issued	2,501		2,501	2,501
Preferred stock, shares issued				25,010
Common stock dividends	(1,905)		(1,905)						(1,921)
Common stock dividents, adjustment to Additional Paid in Capital						16
Preferred stock dividends	(624)		(624)						(624)
Tax benefit upon exercise of stock options	69		69			69
Stock incentive compensation expense	454		454			454
Net change in deferred compensation and related plans	(23)		(23)			(35)					12
Net change	11,355		11,360	2,877	115	2,069			9,217	(910)	(1,600)		(408)	(5)
Net change, shares				400,599	9,937,297
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity and Comprehensive Income (Textuals) [Abstract]
Common stock repurchased, shares					59,201,762
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2011	139,244		137,768	11,566	8,902	55,495			61,135	3,828	(2,087)		(1,071)	1,476
Shares, Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2011				10,585,902	5,272,220,525
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	127,889		126,408						51,918
Cumulative effect of fair value election for certain residential mortgage servicing rights	2		2						2
Adjusted beginning balance at Jan. 1, 2012	141,689		140,243						64,387
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	141,687		140,241						64,385
Beginning Balance at Jun. 30, 2011
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	4,055		4,055
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling interests	87
Net income (loss)	4,142
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent			(1,594)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest										(6)				(6)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	(1,600)									(1,600)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2011	139,244		137,768							3,828				1,476
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	141,687		140,241	11,431	8,931	55,957			64,385	3,207	(2,744)		(926)	1,446
Shares, Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2011				10,450,690	5,262,611,636
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	13,807		13,807						13,807
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling interests	264													264
Net income (loss)	14,071
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent			3,228							3,228
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest										6				6
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	3,234									3,234
Noncontrolling interests, adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital			(6)			(6)
Noncontrolling interests														(336)
Total change in noncontrolling interests	(342)
Common stock, issued	2,000		2,000		133	1,867
Common stock, shares issued					80,013,209
Common stock repurchased	(2,597)		(2,597)			(150)	[1]				(2,447)
Common stock repurchased, shares					(77,521,553)
Preferred stock issued to ESOP	0		0	940		88							(1,028)
Preferred stock issued to ESOP, shares				940,000
Preferred stock released by ESOP	838		838			(75)							913
Preferred stock converted to common shares	0		0	(838)	41	797
Preferred stock converted to common shares, shares				(837,591)	24,521,583
Common stock warrants repurchased	0
Preferred stock, issued	742		742	750		(8)
Preferred stock, shares issued				30,000
Common stock dividends	(3,500)		(3,500)						(3,541)
Common stock dividents, adjustment to Additional Paid in Capital						41
Preferred stock dividends	(659)		(659)						(659)
Tax benefit upon exercise of stock options	198		198			198
Stock incentive compensation expense	465		465			465
Net change in deferred compensation and related plans	(80)		(80)			(85)					5
Net change	14,370		14,436	852	174	3,132			9,607	3,228	(2,442)		(115)	(66)
Net change, shares				132,409	27,013,239
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity and Comprehensive Income (Textuals) [Abstract]
Forward Contract Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Contract Amount								300				350
Common stock repurchased, shares					77,521,553
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2012	156,059		154,679	12,283	9,105	59,089			73,994	6,435	(5,186)		(1,041)	1,380
Shares, Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2012				10,583,099	5,289,624,875
Beginning Balance at Jun. 30, 2012
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	4,937		4,937
Net Income Attributable to Noncontrolling interests	93
Net income (loss)	5,030
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent			1,806
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest										2				2
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax	1,808									1,808
Common stock repurchased, shares		(11,000,000)
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity and Comprehensive Income (Textuals) [Abstract]
Forward Contract Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Contract Amount								300				350
Common stock repurchased, shares		11,000,000
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2012	$ 156,059		$ 154,679							$ 6,435				$ 1,380

[1] For the nine months ended September 30, 2012, includes $300 million related to a private forward repurchase transaction entered into in third quarter 2012 that settled in October 2012 for approximately 9 million shares of common stock. See Note 1 (Summary of Significant Accounting Policies) for additional information.