Stockholders' Equity - Rollforward (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	May 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2021	Mar. 31, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance (in shares)				89,134,252				89,134,252
Beginning balance		$ 10,646,472	$ 10,576,675	$ 10,634,118	$ 10,388,258	$ 8,669,294	$ 8,840,382	$ 10,634,118	$ 8,840,382
Net income (loss)		152,026	68,487	156,074	66,831	133,350	118,957	376,587	319,138
Other comprehensive income (loss)		(100,647)	67,745	(95,481)	38,520	66,380	(272,067)	$ (128,383)	(167,167)
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock for employee equity awards		37,595		40,034	31,728	0	30,390
Issuance of common stock (in shares)	2,587,500
Issuance of common stock	$ 1,700,000
Dividend distribution on common stock		(257,769)	(257,199)	(256,321)	(236,538)	(235,334)	(227,387)
Settlement of accrued dividends on vested equity awards		(299)	(55)	(437)	(194)	(44)	(294)
Accrued dividends on unvested equity awards		(3,906)	(4,016)	(3,661)	(3,764)	(4,136)	(3,268)
Stock-based compensation, net of estimated forfeitures		$ 95,101	95,236	102,349	74,648	75,642	81,690
Ending balance (in shares)		90,041,200						90,041,200
Ending balance		$ 10,568,573	10,646,472	10,576,675	10,555,966	10,388,258	8,669,294	$ 10,568,573	10,555,966
Cumulative adjustment due to adoption of ASU
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance							(900)		(900)
Equinix Stockholders' Equity
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance		10,646,472	10,576,834	10,633,988	10,388,280	8,669,364	8,840,606	10,633,988	8,840,606
Net income (loss)		152,216	68,339	156,362	66,687	133,304	118,792
Other comprehensive income (loss)		(100,647)	67,734	(95,480)	38,490	66,378	(272,056)
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock for employee equity awards		37,595		40,034	31,728		30,390
Dividend distribution on common stock		(257,769)	(257,199)	(256,321)	(236,538)	(235,334)	(227,387)
Settlement of accrued dividends on vested equity awards		(299)	(55)	(437)	(194)	(44)	(294)
Accrued dividends on unvested equity awards		(3,906)	(4,016)	(3,661)	(3,764)	(4,136)	(3,268)
Stock-based compensation, net of estimated forfeitures		95,101	95,236	102,349	74,648	75,642	81,690
Ending balance		$ 10,568,763	$ 10,646,472	$ 10,576,834	$ 10,555,814	$ 10,388,280	8,669,364	$ 10,568,763	10,555,814
Equinix Stockholders' Equity | Cumulative adjustment due to adoption of ASU
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance							$ (900)		$ (900)
Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance (in shares)		90,065,200	89,890,922	89,462,304	88,890,679	86,269,033	85,700,953	89,462,304	85,700,953
Beginning balance		$ 90	$ 90	$ 89	$ 89	$ 86	$ 86	$ 89	$ 86
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock for employee equity awards (in shares)		278,731	36,674	428,618	287,635	34,146	405,550
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock for employee equity awards				$ 1	$ 0
Ending balance (in shares)		90,343,931	90,065,200	89,890,922	89,431,296	88,890,679	86,269,033	90,343,931	89,431,296
Ending balance		$ 90	$ 90	$ 90	$ 89	$ 89	$ 86	$ 90	$ 89
Treasury Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance (in shares)		(315,023)	(316,412)	(328,052)	341,285	341,973	392,567	(328,052)	392,567
Beginning balance		$ (117,270)	$ (117,786)	$ (122,118)	$ (127,042)	$ (127,298)	$ (144,256)	$ (122,118)	$ (144,256)
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock for employee equity awards (in shares)		12,292	1,389	11,640	11,705	688	50,594
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock for employee equity awards		$ 4,574	$ 516	$ 4,332	$ 4,356	$ 256	$ 16,958
Ending balance (in shares)		(302,731)	(315,023)	(316,412)	329,580	341,285	341,973	(302,731)	329,580
Ending balance		$ (112,696)	$ (117,270)	$ (117,786)	$ (122,686)	$ (127,042)	$ (127,298)	$ (112,696)	$ (122,686)
Additional Paid-in Capital
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance		15,360,726	15,166,407	15,028,357	14,651,944	12,893,455	12,696,433	15,028,357	12,696,433
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock for employee equity awards		33,021	(516)	35,701	27,372	(256)	13,432
Settlement of accrued dividends on vested equity awards					81		109
Stock-based compensation, net of estimated forfeitures		95,101	95,236	102,349	74,648	75,642	81,690
Ending balance		15,488,848	15,360,726	15,166,407	14,950,522	14,651,944	12,893,455	15,488,848	14,950,522
Accumulated Dividends
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance		(5,640,963)	(5,379,693)	(5,119,274)	(4,639,041)	(4,399,527)	(4,168,469)	(5,119,274)	(4,168,469)
Dividend distribution on common stock		(257,769)	(257,199)	(256,321)	(236,538)	(235,334)	(227,387)
Settlement of accrued dividends on vested equity awards		(299)	(55)	(437)	(275)	(44)	(403)
Accrued dividends on unvested equity awards		(3,906)	(4,016)	(3,661)	(3,764)	(4,136)	(3,268)
Ending balance		(5,902,937)	(5,640,963)	(5,379,693)	(4,879,618)	(4,639,041)	(4,399,527)	(5,902,937)	(4,879,618)
AOCI (Loss)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance		(941,114)	(1,008,848)	(913,368)	(1,140,291)	(1,206,669)	(934,613)	(913,368)	(934,613)
Other comprehensive income (loss)		(100,647)	67,734	(95,480)	38,490	66,378	(272,056)	(128,393)
Ending balance		(1,041,761)	(941,114)	(1,008,848)	(1,101,801)	(1,140,291)	(1,206,669)	(1,041,761)	(1,101,801)
Retained Earnings
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance		1,985,003	1,916,664	1,760,302	1,642,621	1,509,317	1,391,425	1,760,302	1,391,425
Net income (loss)		152,216	68,339	156,362	66,687	133,304	118,792
Ending balance		2,137,219	1,985,003	1,916,664	1,709,308	1,642,621	1,509,317	2,137,219	1,709,308
Retained Earnings | Cumulative adjustment due to adoption of ASU
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance							(900)		(900)
Noncontrolling Interests
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance		0	(159)	130	(22)	(70)	(224)	130	(224)
Net income (loss)		(190)	148	(288)	144	46	165
Other comprehensive income (loss)		0	11	(1)	30	2	(11)
Ending balance		$ (190)	0	$ (159)	152	(22)	(70)	$ (190)	$ 152
ATM Program
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock			99,599		196,477		101,791
ATM Program | Equinix Stockholders' Equity
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock			$ 99,599		$ 196,477		$ 101,791
ATM Program | Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock (in shares)			137,604		252,982		162,530
ATM Program | Additional Paid-in Capital
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock			$ 99,599		$ 196,477		$ 101,791
Public Offering
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock						1,683,106
Public Offering | Equinix Stockholders' Equity
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock						$ 1,683,106
Public Offering | Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock (in shares)						2,587,500
Issuance of common stock						$ 3
Public Offering | Additional Paid-in Capital
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock						$ 1,683,103