Stockholders' Equity - Rollforward (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2022	Mar. 31, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2021	Mar. 31, 2021	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance (in shares)			90,571,406				90,571,406
Beginning balance	$ 10,629,594	$ 10,942,810	$ 10,881,764	$ 10,646,472	$ 10,576,675	$ 10,634,118	$ 10,881,764	$ 10,634,118
Beginning balance (in shares)			(301,420)				(301,420)
Net income (loss)	211,739	216,242	$ 147,693	152,026	68,487	156,074	$ 575,674	376,587
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(337,189)	(365,877)	32,840	(100,647)	67,745	(95,481)	$ (670,226)	(128,383)
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock		14,039
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock for employee equity awards	37,667		43,876	37,595	0	40,034
Dividend distribution on common stock	(286,136)	(282,168)	(282,031)	(257,769)	(257,199)	(256,321)
Settlement of accrued dividends on vested equity awards	(327)	(57)	(497)	(299)	(55)	(437)
Accrued dividends on unvested equity awards	(4,031)	(4,400)	(2,045)	(3,906)	(4,016)	(3,661)
Stock-based compensation, net of estimated forfeitures	$ 106,757	109,005	121,210	95,101	95,236	102,349
Ending balance (in shares)	92,536,979						92,536,979
Ending balance	$ 11,154,093	10,629,594	10,942,810	10,568,573	10,646,472	10,576,675	$ 11,154,093	10,568,573
Ending balance (in shares)	(249,384)						(249,384)
ATM Program
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock	$ 796,019				99,599
Equinix Stockholders' Equity
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	10,629,784	10,942,885	10,882,082	10,646,472	10,576,834	10,633,988	$ 10,882,082	10,633,988
Net income (loss)	211,807	216,322	147,453	152,216	68,339	156,362
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(337,161)	(365,842)	32,837	(100,647)	67,734	(95,480)
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock		14,039
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock for employee equity awards	37,667		43,876	37,595		40,034
Dividend distribution on common stock	(286,136)	(282,168)	(282,031)	(257,769)	(257,199)	(256,321)
Settlement of accrued dividends on vested equity awards	(327)	(57)	(497)	(299)	(55)	(437)
Accrued dividends on unvested equity awards	(4,031)	(4,400)	(2,045)	(3,906)	(4,016)	(3,661)
Stock-based compensation, net of estimated forfeitures	106,757	109,005	121,210	95,101	95,236	102,349
Ending balance	11,154,379	$ 10,629,784	$ 10,942,885	$ 10,568,763	10,646,472	$ 10,576,834	$ 11,154,379	$ 10,568,763
Equinix Stockholders' Equity | ATM Program
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock	$ 796,019				$ 99,599
Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance (in shares)	91,340,481	91,303,799	90,872,826	90,065,200	89,890,922	89,462,304	90,872,826	89,462,304
Beginning balance	$ 91	$ 91	$ 91	$ 90	$ 90	$ 89	$ 91	$ 89
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock (in shares)		36,682
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock for employee equity awards (in shares)	285,176		430,973	278,731	36,674	428,618
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock for employee equity awards	$ 1			$ 0		$ 1
Issuance of common stock	$ 1
Ending balance (in shares)	92,786,363	91,340,481	91,303,799	90,343,931	90,065,200	89,890,922	92,786,363	90,343,931
Ending balance	$ 93	$ 91	$ 91	$ 90	$ 90	$ 90	$ 93	$ 90
Common Stock | ATM Program
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock (in shares)	1,160,706				137,604
Treasury Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ (98,792)	$ (107,949)	$ (112,208)	$ (117,270)	$ (117,786)	$ (122,118)	$ (112,208)	$ (122,118)
Beginning balance (in shares)	(265,366)	(289,975)	(301,420)	(315,023)	(316,412)	(328,052)	(301,420)	(328,052)
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock (in shares)		24,609
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock		$ 9,157
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock for employee equity awards (in shares)	15,982		11,445	12,292	1,389	11,640
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock for employee equity awards	$ 5,947		$ 4,259	$ 4,574	$ 516	$ 4,332
Ending balance	$ (92,845)	$ (98,792)	$ (107,949)	$ (112,696)	$ (117,270)	$ (117,786)	$ (92,845)	$ (112,696)
Ending balance (in shares)	(249,384)	(265,366)	(289,975)	(302,731)	(315,023)	(316,412)	(249,384)	(302,731)
Additional Paid-in Capital
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 16,259,311	$ 16,145,424	$ 15,984,597	$ 15,360,726	$ 15,166,407	$ 15,028,357	$ 15,984,597	$ 15,028,357
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock		4,882
Issuance of common stock and release of treasury stock for employee equity awards	31,719		39,617	33,021	(516)	35,701
Settlement of accrued dividends on vested equity awards				0
Stock-based compensation, net of estimated forfeitures	106,757	109,005	121,210	95,101	95,236	102,349
Ending balance	17,193,805	16,259,311	16,145,424	15,488,848	15,360,726	15,166,407	17,193,805	15,488,848
Additional Paid-in Capital | ATM Program
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common stock	796,018				99,599
Accumulated Dividends
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	(6,736,338)	(6,449,713)	(6,165,140)	(5,640,963)	(5,379,693)	(5,119,274)	(6,165,140)	(5,119,274)
Dividend distribution on common stock	(286,136)	(282,168)	(282,031)	(257,769)	(257,199)	(256,321)
Settlement of accrued dividends on vested equity awards	(327)	(57)	(497)	(299)	(55)	(437)
Accrued dividends on unvested equity awards	(4,031)	(4,400)	(2,045)	(3,906)	(4,016)	(3,661)
Ending balance	(7,026,832)	(6,736,338)	(6,449,713)	(5,902,937)	(5,640,963)	(5,379,693)	(7,026,832)	(5,902,937)
AOCI (Loss)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	(1,418,756)	(1,052,914)	(1,085,751)	(941,114)	(1,008,848)	(913,368)	(1,085,751)	(913,368)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(337,161)	(365,842)	32,837	(100,647)	67,734	(95,480)	(670,166)
Ending balance	(1,755,917)	(1,418,756)	(1,052,914)	(1,041,761)	(941,114)	(1,008,848)	(1,755,917)	(1,041,761)
Retained Earnings
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	2,624,268	2,407,946	2,260,493	1,985,003	1,916,664	1,760,302	2,260,493	1,760,302
Net income (loss)	211,807	216,322	147,453	152,216	68,339	156,362
Ending balance	2,836,075	2,624,268	2,407,946	2,137,219	1,985,003	1,916,664	2,836,075	2,137,219
Non-controlling Interests
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	(190)	(75)	(318)	0	(159)	130	(318)	130
Net income (loss)	(68)	(80)	240	(190)	148	(288)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(28)	(35)	3	0	11	(1)
Ending balance	$ (286)	$ (190)	$ (75)	$ (190)	$ 0	$ (159)	$ (286)	$ (190)