Name:	ge_CommitmentsAssociatedWithSecuredFinancingArrangements
Namespace Prefix:	ge_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Financial commitments related to investments that were excluded from the amount disclosed as the company's ordinary course of business lending commitments.

No definition available.

Name:	ge_ExcludedInvestmentCommitments
Namespace Prefix:	ge_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

The amount of inventory financing arrangements that were excluded from the unused revolving credit lines

No definition available.

Name:	ge_InventoryFinancingArrangementsExcluded
Namespace Prefix:	ge_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Name:	ge_LoanCommitmentsByNotionalAmountLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ge_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Maximum potential amount of the financial commitments that the company has entered into associated with secured financing arrangements.

No definition available.

Name:	ge_MaximumCommitmentsAssociatedWithSecuredFinancingArrangements
Namespace Prefix:	ge_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

The company's commitment to lend amounts under the ordinary course of business.

No definition available.

Name:	ge_OrdinaryCourseOfBusinessLendingCommitments
Namespace Prefix:	ge_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 20, 22

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Name:	ge_LoanCommitmentsByNotionalAmountAxis=ge_CommercialMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	ge_LoanCommitmentsByNotionalAmountAxis=ge_ConsumerPrincipallyCreditCardsMember
Namespace Prefix:
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