Segment information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Revenues:
Product revenues	$ 3,161	$ 3,225	$ 5,843	$ 6,130
Services revenues	2,856	2,772	5,649	5,480
Total consolidated revenues	6,017	5,997	11,492	11,610
Gross profit	$ 3,736	$ 3,587	$ 6,996	$ 6,926
Gross profit percentage	62.10%	59.80%	60.90%	59.70%
Research and development	$ 821	$ 782	$ 1,635	$ 1,570
Selling, general and administrative	2,034	2,102	4,021	4,139
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	(1)	23	48	158
Total operating expenses	2,854	2,907	5,704	5,867
Operating income (expense)	882	680	1,292	1,059
Non-operating income (expense), net	(30)	9	(54)	4
Income tax provision	222	170	311	252
Net income	630	519	927	811
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interests	(49)	(32)	(78)	(72)
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	581	487	849	739
EMC Information Infrastructure
Revenues:
Product revenues	2,495	2,646	4,579	4,952
Services revenues	1,748	1,775	3,473	3,518
Total consolidated revenues	4,243	4,421	8,052	8,470
Gross profit	$ 2,340	$ 2,355	$ 4,292	$ 4,461
Gross profit percentage	55.10%	53.30%	53.30%	52.70%
Research and development	$ 378	$ 398	$ 756	$ 822
Selling, general and administrative	1,132	1,201	2,216	2,371
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	1,510	1,599	2,972	3,193
Operating income (expense)	830	756	1,320	1,268
Pivotal
Revenues:
Product revenues	32	20	59	36
Services revenues	64	44	120	82
Total consolidated revenues	96	64	179	118
Gross profit	$ 46	$ 26	$ 81	$ 47
Gross profit percentage	48.40%	40.00%	45.00%	40.10%
Research and development	$ 35	$ 25	$ 69	$ 52
Selling, general and administrative	57	53	115	101
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	92	78	184	153
Operating income (expense)	(46)	(52)	(103)	(106)
EMC Information Infrastructure Plus Pivotal
Revenues:
Product revenues	2,527	2,666	4,638	4,988
Services revenues	1,812	1,819	3,593	3,600
Total consolidated revenues	4,339	4,485	8,231	8,588
Gross profit	$ 2,386	$ 2,381	$ 4,373	$ 4,508
Gross profit percentage	55.00%	53.10%	53.10%	52.50%
Research and development	$ 413	$ 423	$ 825	$ 874
Selling, general and administrative	1,189	1,254	2,331	2,472
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	1,602	1,677	3,156	3,346
Operating income (expense)	784	704	1,217	1,162
Non-operating income (expense), net	(7)	18	(22)	4
Income tax provision	221	183	296	309
Net income	556	539	899	857
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interests	2	0	4	0
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	558	539	903	857
VMware Virtual Infrastructure within EMC
Revenues:
Product revenues	634	635	1,205	1,218
Services revenues	1,044	953	2,056	1,880
Total consolidated revenues	1,678	1,588	3,261	3,098
Gross profit	$ 1,456	$ 1,381	$ 2,828	$ 2,692
Gross profit percentage	86.80%	87.00%	86.70%	86.90%
Research and development	$ 283	$ 267	$ 566	$ 514
Selling, general and administrative	670	640	1,313	1,245
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	953	907	1,879	1,759
Operating income (expense)	503	474	949	933
Non-operating income (expense), net	16	11	25	20
Income tax provision	109	107	237	196
Net income	410	378	737	757
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interests	(80)	(72)	(148)	(146)
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	330	306	589	611
Corp Reconciling Items
Revenues:
Product revenues	0	(76)	0	(76)
Services revenues	0	0	0	0
Total consolidated revenues	0	(76)	0	(76)
Gross profit	$ (106)	$ (175)	$ (205)	$ (274)
Gross profit percentage	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Research and development	$ 125	$ 92	$ 244	$ 182
Selling, general and administrative	175	208	377	422
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	(1)	23	48	158
Total operating expenses	299	323	669	762
Operating income (expense)	(405)	(498)	(874)	(1,036)
Non-operating income (expense), net	(39)	(20)	(57)	(20)
Income tax provision	(108)	(120)	(222)	(253)
Net income	(336)	(398)	(709)	(803)
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interests	29	40	66	74
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	(307)	(358)	(643)	(729)
Information Storage
Revenues:
Product revenues	2,362	2,509	4,322	4,688
Services revenues	1,507	1,519	2,994	3,003
Total consolidated revenues	3,869	4,028	7,316	7,691
Gross profit	$ 2,087	$ 2,092	$ 3,797	$ 3,943
Gross profit percentage	53.90%	51.90%	51.90%	51.30%
Enterprise Content Division
Revenues:
Product revenues	$ 42	$ 40	$ 71	$ 67
Services revenues	106	115	210	226
Total consolidated revenues	148	155	281	293
Gross profit	$ 106	$ 105	$ 197	$ 195
Gross profit percentage	71.40%	67.80%	69.80%	66.50%
RSA Information Security
Revenues:
Product revenues	$ 91	$ 97	$ 186	$ 197
Services revenues	135	141	269	289
Total consolidated revenues	226	238	455	486
Gross profit	$ 147	$ 158	$ 298	$ 323
Gross profit percentage	64.80%	66.60%	65.60%	66.60%