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Acquisitions - Additional Information (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Feb. 24, 2014
Aug. 24, 2012
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired $ 1,973us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired $ 770us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired $ 2,136us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired    
Business acquisition, adjustment to fair value of previously held interests, recognized in other income 101us-gaap_GainOnSaleOfInvestments        
Consideration of acquisitions allocated to goodwill 16,134us-gaap_Goodwill 14,424us-gaap_Goodwill 13,840us-gaap_Goodwill    
All 2014 Acquisitions, excluding Airwatch          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Business acquisition, aggregate consideration for businesses 1,515us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2014AcquisitionsexcludingAirwatchMember
       
Cash consideration for acquisition of business, net of cash acquired 1,404us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2014AcquisitionsexcludingAirwatchMember
       
Business acquisition, fair value of stock options issued 10us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferredEquityInterestsIssuedAndIssuable
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2014AcquisitionsexcludingAirwatchMember
       
Stock options issued in acquisition, risk-free interest rate 0.70%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2014AcquisitionsexcludingAirwatchMember
       
Stock options issued in acquisition, annualized volatility 27.30%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2014AcquisitionsexcludingAirwatchMember
       
Dividend yield 1.70%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2014AcquisitionsexcludingAirwatchMember
       
Number of Businesses Acquired 10us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2014AcquisitionsexcludingAirwatchMember
       
Consideration of acquisitions allocated to goodwill 847us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2014AcquisitionsexcludingAirwatchMember
       
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles 484us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2014AcquisitionsexcludingAirwatchMember
       
Consideration of acquisitions allocated to net assets (liabilities) 184us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedNet
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2014AcquisitionsexcludingAirwatchMember
       
Weighted-average useful life 6 years        
Business Acquisition, Gain From Change In Fair Value Subsequent To Acquisition (101)emc_BusinessAcquisitionGainFromChangeInFairValueSubsequentToAcquisition
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2014AcquisitionsexcludingAirwatchMember
       
All 2013 Acquisitions          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Business acquisition, aggregate consideration for businesses   771us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2013AcquisitionsMember
     
Cash consideration for acquisition of business, net of cash acquired   770us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2013AcquisitionsMember
     
Business acquisition, fair value of stock options issued   1us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferredEquityInterestsIssuedAndIssuable
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2013AcquisitionsMember
     
Stock options issued in acquisition, risk-free interest rate   0.30%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2013AcquisitionsMember
     
Stock options issued in acquisition, annualized volatility   26.40%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2013AcquisitionsMember
     
Dividend yield   1.50%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedDividendRate
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2013AcquisitionsMember
     
Number of Businesses Acquired   8us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2013AcquisitionsMember
     
Consideration of acquisitions allocated to goodwill   596us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2013AcquisitionsMember
     
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles   182us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2013AcquisitionsMember
     
Consideration of acquisitions allocated to net assets (liabilities)   (8)us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedNet
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2013AcquisitionsMember
     
Weighted-average useful life   4 years      
XtremIO          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Business acquisition, adjustment to fair value of previously held interests, recognized in other income   32us-gaap_GainOnSaleOfInvestments
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_XtremioMember
     
2012 Acquisitions, excluding Nicira          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Business acquisition, aggregate consideration for businesses     1,060us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_Acquisitions2012OtherMember
   
Cash consideration for acquisition of business, net of cash acquired     1,053us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_Acquisitions2012OtherMember
   
Business acquisition, fair value of stock options issued     7us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferredEquityInterestsIssuedAndIssuable
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_Acquisitions2012OtherMember
   
Stock options issued in acquisition, risk-free interest rate     0.30%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_Acquisitions2012OtherMember
   
Stock options issued in acquisition, annualized volatility     31.60%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_Acquisitions2012OtherMember
   
Number of Businesses Acquired     16us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_Acquisitions2012OtherMember
   
Consideration of acquisitions allocated to goodwill     819us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_Acquisitions2012OtherMember
   
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles     311us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_Acquisitions2012OtherMember
   
Consideration of acquisitions allocated to net assets (liabilities)     (70)us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedNet
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_Acquisitions2012OtherMember
   
Weighted-average useful life     5 years    
EMC          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Number of Businesses Acquired 7us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_EmcMember
       
EMC | All 2013 Acquisitions          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Number of Businesses Acquired   5us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2013AcquisitionsMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_EmcMember
     
EMC | 2012 Acquisitions, excluding Nicira          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Number of Businesses Acquired     11us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_Acquisitions2012OtherMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_EmcMember
   
VMware | AirWatch          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Business acquisition, aggregate consideration for businesses       1,128us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_AirWatchMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
 
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired       1,104us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_AirWatchMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
 
Business acquisition, fair value of stock options issued       24us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferredEquityInterestsIssuedAndIssuable
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_AirWatchMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
 
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles 250us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_AirWatchMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
       
Business Combination, Contingent Compensation       300emc_BusinessCombinationContingentCompensation
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_AirWatchMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
 
Business Combination, Retention Bonus 141emc_BusinessCombinationRetentionBonus
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_AirWatchMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
       
VMware | All 2013 Acquisitions          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Number of Businesses Acquired   2us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2013AcquisitionsMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
     
VMware | Nicira          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Business acquisition, aggregate consideration for businesses         1,100us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_NiciraMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
Cash consideration for acquisition of business, net of cash acquired         1,083us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_NiciraMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
Business acquisition, fair value of stock options issued         17us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferredEquityInterestsIssuedAndIssuable
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_NiciraMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
Number of stock options issued in acquisition         1emc_UnvestedStockOptionsIssuedDuringPeriodAcquisitions
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_NiciraMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
Number of shares of stock issued in acquisition         1us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesAcquisitions
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_NiciraMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
Acquisition-date closing share price         $ 92.21us-gaap_SharePrice
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_NiciraMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
Fair Value Assumptions, Expected Term     2 years 7 months 30 days    
Stock options issued in acquisition, risk-free interest rate     0.30%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsRiskFreeInterestRate
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_NiciraMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
   
Stock options issued in acquisition, annualized volatility     35.70%us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardFairValueAssumptionsExpectedVolatilityRate
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_NiciraMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
   
Consideration of acquisitions allocated to goodwill     893us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_NiciraMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
   
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles     335us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_NiciraMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
   
VMware | 2012 Acquisitions, excluding Nicira          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Number of Businesses Acquired   5us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_Acquisitions2012OtherMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
     
Developed Technology Rights | All 2014 Acquisitions, excluding Airwatch          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles 460us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2014AcquisitionsexcludingAirwatchMember
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
       
Weighted-average useful life 6 years        
Developed Technology Rights | All 2013 Acquisitions          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles   138us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2013AcquisitionsMember
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
     
Weighted-average useful life   5 years      
Developed Technology Rights | 2012 Acquisitions, excluding Nicira          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles     255us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_Acquisitions2012OtherMember
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
   
Weighted-average useful life     5 years    
Developed Technology Rights | VMware | AirWatch          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles 118us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_AirWatchMember
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
       
Weighted-average useful life 6 years        
Developed Technology Rights | VMware | Nicira          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles     266us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_NiciraMember
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_DevelopedTechnologyRightsMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
   
Weighted-average useful life     7 years    
In-process research and development | All 2013 Acquisitions          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles   10us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2013AcquisitionsMember
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_InProcessResearchAndDevelopmentMember
     
In-process research and development | VMware | Nicira          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life         8 years
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles     49us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_NiciraMember
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_InProcessResearchAndDevelopmentMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= emc_VmwareMember
   
Customer relationships | All 2014 Acquisitions, excluding Airwatch          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles 10us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2014AcquisitionsexcludingAirwatchMember
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
       
Weighted-average useful life 5 years        
Customer relationships | All 2013 Acquisitions          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles   34us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_All2013AcquisitionsMember
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
     
Weighted-average useful life   4 years      
Customer relationships | 2012 Acquisitions, excluding Nicira          
Business Acquisition [Line Items]          
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles     $ 54us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibles
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= emc_Acquisitions2012OtherMember
/ us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis
= us-gaap_CustomerRelationshipsMember
   
Weighted-average useful life     6 years