Label	Element	Value
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Document Type	dei_DocumentType	485BPOS
Period End Date	dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate	Oct. 31, 2021
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	THE ALGER FUNDS
CIK	dei_EntityCentralIndexKey	0000003521
Amendment Flag	dei_AmendmentFlag	false
Document Creation Date	dei_DocumentCreationDate	Feb. 25, 2022
Document Effective Date	dei_DocumentEffectiveDate	Feb. 28, 2022
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Mar. 01, 2022
Entity Inv Company Type	dei_EntityInvCompanyType	N-1A
Alger Capital Appreciation Fund - AC \| Class A
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ACAAX
Alger Capital Appreciation Fund - AC \| Class C
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ALCCX
Alger Capital Appreciation Fund - AC \| Class Z
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ACAZX
Alger International Focus Fund - ABC \| Class A
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ALGAX
Alger International Focus Fund - ABC \| Class B
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AFGPX
Alger International Focus Fund - ABC \| Class C
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ALGCX
Alger International Focus Fund - ABC \| Class I
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AIGIX
Alger International Focus Fund - ABC \| Class Z
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ALCZX
Alger Mid Cap Focus Fund - AC \| Class A
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ALOAX
Alger Mid Cap Focus Fund - AC \| Class C
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ALOCX
Alger Mid Cap Focus Fund - AC \| Class Z
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AFOZX
Alger Mid Cap Focus Fund - AC \| Class I
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AFOIX
Alger Mid Cap Focus Fund - AC \| Class Y
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ALOYX
Alger Mid Cap Growth Fund - ABC \| Class A
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AMGAX
Alger Mid Cap Growth Fund - ABC \| Class B
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AMCGX
Alger Mid Cap Growth Fund - ABC \| Class C
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AMGCX
Alger Mid Cap Growth Fund - ABC \| Class Z
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AMCZX
Alger Weatherbie Specialized Growth Fund - AC \| Class A
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ALMAX
Alger Weatherbie Specialized Growth Fund - AC \| Class C
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ALMCX
Alger Weatherbie Specialized Growth Fund - AC \| Class I
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ASIMX
Alger Weatherbie Specialized Growth Fund - AC \| Class Y
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ASYMX
Alger Weatherbie Specialized Growth Fund - AC \| Class Z
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ASMZX
Alger Small Cap Growth Fund - ABC \| Class A
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ALSAX
Alger Small Cap Growth Fund - ABC \| Class B
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ALSCX
Alger Small Cap Growth Fund - ABC \| Class C
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AGSCX
Alger Small Cap Growth Fund - ABC \| Class Y
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ASCYX
Alger Small Cap Growth Fund - ABC \| Class Z
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ASCZX
Alger Small Cap Focus Fund - AC \| Class A
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AOFAX
Alger Small Cap Focus Fund - AC \| Class C
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AOFCX
Alger Small Cap Focus Fund - AC \| Class I
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AOFIX
Alger Small Cap Focus Fund - AC \| Class Y
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AOFYX
Alger Small Cap Focus Fund - AC \| Class Z
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AGOZX
Alger Health Sciences Fund - AC \| Class A
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AHSAX
Alger Health Sciences Fund - AC \| Class C
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AHSCX
Alger Health Sciences Fund - AC \| Class Z
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AHSZX
Alger Growth and Income Fund - AC \| Class A
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ALBAX
Alger Growth and Income Fund - AC \| Class C
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ALBCX
Alger Growth and Income Fund - AC \| Class Z
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	AGIZX
Alger 35 Fund - Z \| Class Z
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Trading Symbol	dei_TradingSymbol	ATVPX

Boolean flag that is true when the XBRL content amends previously-filed or accepted submission.

No definition available.

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- Definition

The date the document was made available and submitted, in YYYY-MM-DD format. The date of submission, date of acceptance by the recipient, and the document effective date are all potentially different.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dei_DocumentCreationDate
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The date when a document, upon receipt and acceptance, becomes officially effective, in YYYY-MM-DD format. Usually it is a system-assigned date time value, but it may be declared by the submitter in some cases.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dei_DocumentEffectiveDate
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
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- Definition

For the EDGAR submission types of Form 8-K: the date of the report, the date of the earliest event reported; for the EDGAR submission types of Form N-1A: the filing date; for all other submission types: the end of the reporting or transition period. The format of the date is YYYY-MM-DD.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The type of document being provided (such as 10-K, 10-Q, 485BPOS, etc). The document type is limited to the same value as the supporting SEC submission type, or the word 'Other'.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dei_DocumentType
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	dei:submissionTypeItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A unique 10-digit SEC-issued value to identify entities that have filed disclosures with the SEC. It is commonly abbreviated as CIK.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation 12B
-Number 240
-Section 12
-Subsection b-2

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	dei:centralIndexKeyItemType
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

One of: N-1A (Mutual Fund), N-1 (Open-End Separate Account with No Variable Annuities), N-2 (Closed-End Investment Company), N-3 (Separate Account Registered as Open-End Management Investment Company), N-4 (Variable Annuity UIT Separate Account), N-5 (Small Business Investment Company), N-6 (Variable Life UIT Separate Account), S-1 or S-3 (Face Amount Certificate Company), S-6 (UIT, Non-Insurance Product).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-T
-Number 232
-Section 313

+ Details

Name:	dei_EntityInvCompanyType
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	dei:invCompanyType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The exact name of the entity filing the report as specified in its charter, which is required by forms filed with the SEC.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation 12B
-Number 240
-Section 12
-Subsection b-2

+ Details

Name:	dei_EntityRegistrantName
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	xbrli:normalizedStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Trading symbol of an instrument as listed on an exchange.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	dei_TradingSymbol
Namespace Prefix:	dei_
Data Type:	dei:tradingSymbolItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The date of the prospectus.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Form
-Number N-1A
-Chapter A
-Section 1
-Subsection a
-Paragraph 3

+ Details

Name:	rr_ProspectusDate
Namespace Prefix:	rr_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	rr_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration