Earnings Per Share - Computation of Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2021	Mar. 31, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net income	$ 152,026	$ 68,487	$ 156,074	$ 66,831	$ 133,350	$ 118,957	$ 376,587	$ 319,138
Net (income) loss attributable to non-controlling interests	190			(144)			330	(355)
Net income attributable to Equinix	$ 152,216			$ 66,687			$ 376,917	$ 318,783
Weighted-average shares used to calculate basic EPS (in shares)	89,858			88,806			89,614	87,226
Effect of dilutive securities:
Employee equity awards (in shares)	609			713			588	699
Weighted-average shares used to calculate diluted EPS (in shares)	90,467			89,519			90,202	87,925
Basic EPS (in dollars per share)	$ 1.69			$ 0.75			$ 4.21	$ 3.65
Diluted EPS (in dollars per share)	$ 1.68			$ 0.74			$ 4.18	$ 3.63