Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	Total	Common stock	Treasury stock	Additional paid-in capital	Retained earnings	Accumulated other comprehensive loss	Noncontrolling interest
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ (8,446)	$ 18	$ (24,108)	$ 14,756	$ 3,368	$ (2,480)	$ 0
Beginning balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		1,479
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net earnings attributable to AbbVie Inc.	7,882	$ 0	0	0	7,882	0	0
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax	(1,116)	0	0	0	0	(1,116)	0
Dividends declared	(6,533)	0	0	0	(6,533)	0	0
Purchases of treasury stock	(428)	$ 0	(428)	0	0	0	0
Purchases of treasury stock (in shares)		(5)
Stock-based compensation plans and other	469	$ 0	32	437	0	0	0
Stock-based compensation plans and other (in shares)		5
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2019	(8,172)	$ 18	(24,504)	15,193	4,717	(3,596)	0
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019		1,479
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net earnings attributable to AbbVie Inc.	4,616	$ 0	0	0	4,616	0	0
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax	479	0	0	0	0	479	0
Dividends declared	(8,278)	0	0	0	(8,278)	0	0
Purchases of treasury stock	(978)	$ 0	(978)	0	0	0	0
Purchases of treasury stock (in shares)		(10)
Common shares and equity awards issued for acquisition of Allergan plc	24,409	$ 0	23,166	1,243	0	0	0
Common shares and equity awards issued for acquisition of Allergan plc (in shares)		286
Stock-based compensation plans and other	1,000	$ 0	52	948	0	0	0
Stock-based compensation plans and other (in shares)		10
Change in noncontrolling interest	21	$ 0	0	0	0	0	21
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2020	13,097	$ 18	(2,264)	17,384	1,055	(3,117)	21
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020		1,765
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity
Net earnings attributable to AbbVie Inc.	11,542	$ 0	0	0	11,542	0	0
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax	218	0	0	0	0	218	0
Dividends declared	(9,470)	0	0	0	(9,470)	0	0
Purchases of treasury stock	(934)	$ 0	(934)	0	0	0	0
Purchases of treasury stock (in shares)		(8)
Stock-based compensation plans and other	976	$ 0	55	921	0	0	0
Stock-based compensation plans and other (in shares)		11
Change in noncontrolling interest	7	$ 0	0	0	0	0	7
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2021	$ 15,436	$ 18	$ (3,143)	$ 18,305	$ 3,127	$ (2,899)	$ 28
Ending balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021		1,768