Stock-Based Compensation - Stock Repurchase Programs (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Payments for Repurchase of Equity [Abstract]
Aggregate purchase price	$ 2,033	$ 3,000	$ 3,000
VMware Stock Repurchase Plan \| VMware Class A common stock
Payments for Repurchase of Equity [Abstract]
Weighted-average price per share	$ 83.36	$ 91.61	$ 76.58

Equity impact of the value of stock that has been repurchased during the period and has not been retired and is not held in treasury. Some state laws may mandate the circumstances under which an entity may acquire its own stock and prescribe the accounting treatment therefore. This element is used when state law does not recognize treasury stock.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 29, 30, 31
-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 04
-Article 3

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration