Stockholders' Equity - Reconciliation from Basic To Diluted Earnings Per Share for both Numerators and Denominators (Detail) - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Numerator:
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	$ 771	$ 480	$ 487	$ 252	$ 1,147	$ 587	$ 589	$ 392	$ 1,990	$ 2,714	$ 2,889
Incremental dilution from VMware									(5)	(7)	(8)
Net income – dilution attributable to EMC Corporation									$ 1,985	$ 2,707	$ 2,881
Denominator:
Weighted average shares, basic									1,944	2,028	2,074
Weighted common stock equivalents (in shares)									18	26	28
Assumed conversion of the 2013 Notes and associated warrants (in shares)									0	5	58
Weighted average shares, diluted (in shares)									1,962	2,059	2,160