Variable Interest Entities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing receivables, net	$ 12,001		$ 12,001		$ 12,052
Investment securities (Note 3)	39,720		39,720		31,973
Other Assets	31,274		31,274		36,797
Borrowings	156,436		156,436		197,602
Nonrecourse Borrowings	2,005		2,005		3,083
Other Liabilities	21,475		21,475		23,611
Total revenues of consolidated VIEs	33,494	$ 29,226	61,339	$ 55,466
Appliances
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Current Receivables	773		773		737
Consolidated VIE
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing receivables, net	1,671		1,671		882
Current Receivables	2,836		2,836		3,891
Investment securities (Note 3)	1,516		1,516		1,404
Other Assets	2,276		2,276		3,574
Assets VIE	8,299		8,299		9,751
Borrowings	1,735		1,735		1,181
Non-recourse borrowings	2,005		2,005		3,083
Other Liabilities	2,565		2,565		3,557
Liabilities VIE	6,305		6,305		7,821
Cost of sales and services sold	257	386	601	723
Acquisition Alstom
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets VIE	13,614		13,614
Liabilities VIE	10,295		10,295
Redeemable noncontrolling interest in joint venture			2,950
Other 1 [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing receivables, net	0		0		0
Current Receivables	152		152		385
Investment securities (Note 3)	0		0		0
Other Assets	1,099		1,099		2,482
Assets VIE	1,251		1,251		2,867
Borrowings	41		41		221
Non-recourse borrowings	0		0		0
Other Liabilities	1,161		1,161		2,289
Liabilities VIE	1,202		1,202		2,510
Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Investment securities (Note 3)	1,516		1,516
Non-recourse borrowings	2,005		2,005
Total revenues of consolidated VIEs	439	212	794	714
Commingled cash amounts owed to CSEs	860		860		1,093
Commingled cash receivable from CSEs	12		12		7
Industrial Equipment Joint Venture [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets VIE	746		746
Liabilities VIE	743		743
Power Generating And Leasing [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets VIE	385		385
Liabilities VIE	177		177
Insurance Entities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Assets VIE	1,716		1,716
Liabilities VIE	1,118		1,118
GE Capital
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing receivables, net	23,998		23,998		25,003
Investment securities (Note 3)	39,615		39,615		31,827
Other Assets	19,930		19,930		25,081
Non-recourse borrowings	1,475		1,475		1,534
Nonrecourse Borrowings	2,005		2,005		3,083
Other Liabilities	7,028		7,028		9,351
Total revenues of consolidated VIEs	2,771	$ 2,690	5,656	$ 5,556
GE Capital | Other 1 [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing receivables, net	745		745		882
Current Receivables	1		1		0
Investment securities (Note 3)	1,516		1,516		1,404
Other Assets	1,144		1,144		1,068
Assets VIE	3,406		3,406		3,354
Borrowings	867		867		960
Non-recourse borrowings	0		0		61
Other Liabilities	1,343		1,343		1,234
Liabilities VIE	2,210		2,210		2,255
GE Capital | Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing receivables, net	926		926		0
Current Receivables	0		0		0
Investment securities (Note 3)	0		0		0
Other Assets	33		33		0
Assets VIE	959		959		0
Borrowings	827		827		0
Non-recourse borrowings	100		100		0
Other Liabilities	30		30		0
Liabilities VIE	957		957		0
GE Capital | Trade Receivable [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Financing receivables, net	0		0		0
Current Receivables	2,683		2,683		3,506
Investment securities (Note 3)	0		0		0
Other Assets	0		0		24
Assets VIE	2,683		2,683		3,530
Borrowings	0		0		0
Non-recourse borrowings	1,905		1,905		3,022
Other Liabilities	31		31		34
Liabilities VIE	$ 1,936		$ 1,936		$ 3,056