Nature of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) data_center_site	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) data_center_site	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) service_provider data_center_site	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) data_center_site country	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) data_center_site reporting_segment	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) data_center_site	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) segment data_center_site	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Nov. 02, 2020 data_center	Oct. 01, 2020 data_center	Jan. 08, 2020 data_center	Jan. 01, 2020 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2019 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Item Effected [Line Items]
Number of network providers that provide internet access | service_provider				1,800
Data centers sites | data_center_site		224	224	224	224	224	224	224
Number of markets | country					63
Cash equivalents maturity period (in days)		90 days
Equity method investments, impairment charges			$ 0
Non-marketable equity investments, impairment charges			0
Impairment charges on property plant and equipment			7,306,000						$ 15,790,000	$ 0
Impairment charges			7,306,000						15,790,000	0
Number of reportable segments						3		3
Impairment charges, intangible assets			0						0	0
Percentage of recurring revenue							90.00%
Cumulative effect of adoption of new accounting standard		$ (10,634,118,000)	(10,634,118,000)	$ (10,634,118,000)	$ (10,634,118,000)	$ (10,634,118,000)	$ (10,634,118,000)	$ (10,634,118,000)	(8,840,382,000)	(7,219,279,000)							$ (6,849,790,000)
Operating lease right-of-use assets		1,475,057,000	1,475,057,000	1,475,057,000	1,475,057,000	1,475,057,000	1,475,057,000	1,475,057,000	1,475,367,000						$ 1,468,762,000
Operating lease liability		$ 1,462,834,000	$ 1,462,834,000	$ 1,462,834,000	$ 1,462,834,000	$ 1,462,834,000	$ 1,462,834,000	$ 1,462,834,000
Capitalized Contract Cost, Amortization Period		5 years	5 years	5 years	5 years	5 years	5 years	5 years
Property, plant and equipment
Item Effected [Line Items]
Impairment charges on property plant and equipment			$ 0						0	0
RSU
Item Effected [Line Items]
Vesting period		4 years
RSA
Item Effected [Line Items]
Vesting period		3 years
COVID-19
Item Effected [Line Items]
Payments to employees	$ 8,600,000
Axtel
Item Effected [Line Items]
Number of data centers acquired | data_center													3
Bell Acquisition
Item Effected [Line Items]
Number of data centers acquired | data_center											1	12
Adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard
Item Effected [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of adoption of new accounting standard									900,000	5,973,000							(269,776,000)
Minimum
Item Effected [Line Items]
Short term investment maturity (in days and years)		90 days
Payment terms		30
Maximum
Item Effected [Line Items]
Short term investment maturity (in days and years)		1 year
Payment terms		45
Paris IBX Data Center | Minimum
Item Effected [Line Items]
Revenue, requirement of payment, terms		1
Paris IBX Data Center | Maximum
Item Effected [Line Items]
Revenue, requirement of payment, terms		3 years
Executive Officer | Minimum
Item Effected [Line Items]
Vesting period		2 years
Executive Officer | Maximum
Item Effected [Line Items]
Vesting period		4 years
Retained Earnings
Item Effected [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of adoption of new accounting standard		$ (1,760,302,000)	(1,760,302,000)	$ (1,760,302,000)	$ (1,760,302,000)	$ (1,760,302,000)	$ (1,760,302,000)	$ (1,760,302,000)	(1,391,425,000)	(889,948,000)							(252,689,000)
Retained Earnings | Adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard
Item Effected [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of adoption of new accounting standard									900,000	5,973,000				$ 900,000			(271,900,000)
Equinix Stockholders' Equity
Item Effected [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of adoption of new accounting standard		$ (10,633,988,000)	$ (10,633,988,000)	$ (10,633,988,000)	$ (10,633,988,000)	$ (10,633,988,000)	$ (10,633,988,000)	$ (10,633,988,000)	(8,840,606,000)	(7,219,279,000)							(6,849,790,000)
Equinix Stockholders' Equity | Adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard
Item Effected [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of adoption of new accounting standard									$ 900,000	$ 5,973,000							$ (269,776,000)
Retained Earnings and ACOI | Adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard
Item Effected [Line Items]
Cumulative effect of adoption of new accounting standard																$ (269,800,000)