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Fair Value of Financial Assets and Liabilities - Unrealized Losses on Investments by Investment Category and Length of Time in Continuous Unrealized Loss Position (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]  
Less Than 12 Months Fair Value $ 2,441us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
Less than 12 Months Gross Unrealized Losses (20)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAccumulatedLoss
12 Months or Greater Fair Value 36us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
12 Months or Greater Gross Unrealized Losses (6)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAccumulatedLoss
Total Fair Value 2,477us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
Total, Gross Unrealized Losses (26)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAccumulatedLoss
U.S. government and agency obligations  
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]  
Less Than 12 Months Fair Value 501us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember
Less than 12 Months Gross Unrealized Losses (1)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember
12 Months or Greater Fair Value 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember
12 Months or Greater Gross Unrealized Losses 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember
Total Fair Value 501us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember
Total, Gross Unrealized Losses (1)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember
U.S. corporate debt securities  
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]  
Less Than 12 Months Fair Value 778us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_UsCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Less than 12 Months Gross Unrealized Losses (1)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_UsCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
12 Months or Greater Fair Value 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_UsCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
12 Months or Greater Gross Unrealized Losses 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_UsCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Total Fair Value 778us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_UsCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Total, Gross Unrealized Losses (1)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_UsCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
High yield corporate debt securities  
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]  
Less Than 12 Months Fair Value 138us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_HighYieldCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Less than 12 Months Gross Unrealized Losses (7)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_HighYieldCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
12 Months or Greater Fair Value 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_HighYieldCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
12 Months or Greater Gross Unrealized Losses 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_HighYieldCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Total Fair Value 138us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_HighYieldCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Total, Gross Unrealized Losses (7)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_HighYieldCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Auction rate securities  
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]  
Less Than 12 Months Fair Value 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember
Less than 12 Months Gross Unrealized Losses 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember
12 Months or Greater Fair Value 27us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember
12 Months or Greater Gross Unrealized Losses (2)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember
Total Fair Value 27us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember
Total, Gross Unrealized Losses (2)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AuctionRateSecuritiesMember
Foreign debt securities  
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]  
Less Than 12 Months Fair Value 918us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_ForeignDebtSecuritiesMember
Less than 12 Months Gross Unrealized Losses (1)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_ForeignDebtSecuritiesMember
12 Months or Greater Fair Value 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_ForeignDebtSecuritiesMember
12 Months or Greater Gross Unrealized Losses 0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_ForeignDebtSecuritiesMember
Total Fair Value 918us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_ForeignDebtSecuritiesMember
Total, Gross Unrealized Losses (1)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_ForeignDebtSecuritiesMember
Publicly traded equity securities  
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]  
Less Than 12 Months Fair Value 106us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_PublicEquitySecuritiesMember
Less than 12 Months Gross Unrealized Losses (10)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThan12MonthsAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_PublicEquitySecuritiesMember
12 Months or Greater Fair Value 9us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_PublicEquitySecuritiesMember
12 Months or Greater Gross Unrealized Losses (4)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_PublicEquitySecuritiesMember
Total Fair Value 115us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_PublicEquitySecuritiesMember
Total, Gross Unrealized Losses $ (14)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAccumulatedLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= emc_PublicEquitySecuritiesMember