Post-Employment Benefits (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	$ 4,173
End of period	$ 4,174	$ 4,173
Assets Of Defined Benefit Plans \| Investment Concentration Risk
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Concentrations risk (as a percent)	0.00%
U S Large Capital Equity Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	$ 1,314
End of period	1,041	1,314
U S Mid Capital Equity Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	267
End of period	260	267
International
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	608
End of period	688	608
U S Treasury And Government
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	216
End of period	178	216
Corporate Debt Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	326
End of period	440	326
Non-U.S. Government Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	425
End of period	182	425
Other Debt Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	37
End of period	156	37
Fixed Income Funds
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	848
End of period	1,097	848
Real Estate
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	53
End of period	39	53
Defined Benefit Plan Other Assets
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	79
End of period	93	79
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1)
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	1,212
End of period	1,074	1,212
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) \| U S Large Capital Equity Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	588
End of period	542	588
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) \| U S Mid Capital Equity Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	67
End of period	35	67
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) \| International
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	137
End of period	100	137
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) \| U S Treasury And Government
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
End of period	15
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) \| Corporate Debt Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	101
End of period	124	101
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) \| Non-U.S. Government Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	201
End of period	33	201
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) \| Other Debt Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	29
End of period	122	29
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) \| Fixed Income Funds
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	3
End of period	2	3
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) \| Real Estate
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	7
End of period	8	7
Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) \| Defined Benefit Plan Other Assets
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	79
End of period	93	79
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2)
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	2,487
End of period	2,460	2,487
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) \| U S Large Capital Equity Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	726
End of period	499	726
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) \| U S Mid Capital Equity Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	200
End of period	225	200
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) \| International
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	471
End of period	588	471
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) \| U S Treasury And Government
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	216
End of period	163	216
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) \| Corporate Debt Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	225
End of period	297	225
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) \| Non-U.S. Government Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	224
End of period	149	224
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) \| Other Debt Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	8
End of period	34	8
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) \| Fixed Income Funds
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	371
End of period	498	371
Significant other observable inputs (Level 2) \| Real Estate
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	46
End of period	7	46
Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3)
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	474
End of period	640	474
Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) \| Corporate Debt Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
End of period	19
Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) \| Fixed Income Funds
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	474
End of period	597	474
Significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) \| Real Estate
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
End of period	24
AbbVie sponsored plans
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	474	411
Actual return on plan assets on hand at year end	5	21
Purchases, sales and settlements, net	161	42
End of period	640	474
Pension Plans Defined Benefit
Expected Pension and Other Post-Employment Payments
2016	168
2017	177
2018	188
2019	199
2020	212
2021 to 2025	1,295
Pension Plans Defined Benefit \| AbbVie sponsored plans
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Beginning of period	4,173	3,666
End of period	$ 4,174	$ 4,173
Pension Plans Defined Benefit \| AbbVie sponsored plans \| Equity Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Target investment allocations for Pension Plan (as a percent)	35.00%
Pension Plans Defined Benefit \| AbbVie sponsored plans \| Debt Securities
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Target investment allocations for Pension Plan (as a percent)	20.00%
Pension Plans Defined Benefit \| AbbVie sponsored plans \| Defined Benefit Plan Other Assets
Change in value of assets that are measured using significant unobservable inputs
Target investment allocations for Pension Plan (as a percent)	45.00%
Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Defined Benefit
Expected Pension and Other Post-Employment Payments
2016	$ 11
2017	14
2018	17
2019	20
2020	19
2021 to 2025	$ 133

For an entity that discloses a concentration risk in relation to quantitative amount, which serves as the "benchmark" (or denominator) in the equation, this concept represents the concentration percentage derived from the division.

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Assets, usually stocks, bonds, and other investments, that have been segregated and restricted (usually in a trust) to provide benefits, at their fair value as of the measurement date. Plan assets include amounts contributed by the employer (and by employees for a contributory plan) and amounts earned from investing the contributions, less benefits paid. If a plan has liabilities other than for benefits, those non-benefit obligations may be considered as reductions of plan assets.

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