Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings	Retained Earnings Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Treasury Stock at Cost	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Total MetLife, Inc.'s Stockholders' Equity	Total MetLife, Inc.'s Stockholders' Equity Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	Noncontrolling Interests
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 66,382	$ (121)	$ 0	$ 12	$ 32,680	$ 33,078	$ (121)	$ (12,678)	$ 13,052	$ 66,144	$ (121)	$ 238
Redemption of preferred stock	(989)				(989)					(989)
Preferred stock redemption premium	(14)					(14)				(14)
Preferred stock issuance	1,961				1,961					1,961
Treasury stock acquired in connection with share repurchases	(1,151)							(1,151)		(1,151)
Stock-based compensation	160				160					160
Dividends on preferred stock	$ (202)					(202)				(202)
Dividend Per Share	$ 1.820
Dividends on common stock	$ (1,657)					(1,657)				(1,657)
Change in equity of noncontrolling interests	5									0		5
Net income (loss)	5,418					5,407				5,407		11
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income tax	5,025								5,020	5,020		5
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2020	74,817		0	12	33,812	36,491		(13,829)	18,072	74,558		259
Redemption of preferred stock	(494)				(494)					(494)
Preferred stock redemption premium	(6)					(6)				(6)
Preferred stock issuance	0
Treasury stock acquired in connection with share repurchases	(4,328)							(4,328)		(4,328)
Stock-based compensation	193				193					193
Dividends on preferred stock	$ (195)					(195)				(195)
Dividend Per Share	$ 1.900
Dividends on common stock	$ (1,647)					(1,647)				(1,647)
Change in equity of noncontrolling interests	(16)									0		(16)
Net income (loss)	6,575					6,554				6,554		21
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income tax	(7,150)								(7,153)	(7,153)		3
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2021	67,749		0	12	33,511	41,197		(18,157)	10,919	67,482		267
Preferred stock redemption premium	0
Preferred stock issuance	0
Treasury stock acquired in connection with share repurchases	(3,301)							(3,301)		(3,301)
Stock-based compensation	105				105					105
Dividends on preferred stock	$ (185)					(185)				(185)
Dividend Per Share	$ 1.980
Dividends on common stock	$ (1,598)					(1,598)				(1,598)
Change in equity of noncontrolling interests	(33)									0		(33)
Net income (loss)	2,558					2,539				2,539		19
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income tax	(38,008)								(38,002)	(38,002)		(6)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2022	$ 27,287		$ 0	$ 12	$ 33,616	$ 41,953		$ (21,458)	$ (27,083)	$ 27,040		$ 247