Cash Flows Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Apr. 10, 2015
All other operating activities
All other operating activities	$ (12,655)	$ 7,160	$ 5,318
Cash recovered (paid) during the year for income taxes	(7,469)	(2,486)	(2,955)
Current tax expense (benefit)	(1,278)	6,103	1,655
Net dispositions (purchases) of GE shares for treasury
Open market purchases under share repurchase program(e)	(22,581)	(2,709)	(2,211)
Other purchases	(399)	(58)	(49)
Dispositions	1,550	1,668	1,042
Net dispositions (purchases) of GE shares for treasury	(21,429)	(1,099)	(1,218)
Stock repurchase program authorized amount to be repurchased				$ 50,000
Net decrease (increase) in GE Capital financing receivables
Net decrease (increase) in GE Capital financing receivables	200	1,043	1,260
All other investing activities
All other investing activities	2,212	(5,013)	23,410
Repayments and other reductions (maturities longer than 90 days)
Repayments and other debt reductions (maturities longer than 90 days)	(58,768)	(47,038)	(38,410)
All Other financing activities [Abstract]
All other financing activities	(1,274)	(1,605)	(652)
Repurchase Agreements [Member]
Net dispositions (purchases) of GE shares for treasury
Stock repurchase program authorized amount to be repurchased	11,370
GE
All other operating activities
(Gains) losses on purchases and sales of business interests(a)	(3,701)	(1,020)	(188)
Contract assets (net)(b)	(3,929)	(1,919)	(1,572)
Income taxes(c)	(2,752)	1,671	773
Interest charges	275	380	332
Principal pension plan	3,071	4,265	3,368
Other	(402)	(1,294)	260
All other operating activities	(7,438)	2,083	2,973
Cash recovered (paid) during the year for income taxes	(2,612)	(1,636)	(1,337)
Current tax expense (benefit)	(140)	3,307	2,110
Net dispositions (purchases) of GE shares for treasury
Net dispositions (purchases) of GE shares for treasury	(21,429)	(1,099)	(1,218)
Net decrease (increase) in GE Capital financing receivables
Net decrease (increase) in GE Capital financing receivables	0	0	0
All other investing activities
All other investing activities	(2,392)	(1,308)	(1,062)
Repayments and other reductions (maturities longer than 90 days)
Repayments and other debt reductions (maturities longer than 90 days)	(4,156)	(2,190)	(323)
All Other financing activities [Abstract]
All other financing activities	(273)	203	346
GE | Employer Contribution [Member]
All other operating activities
Principal pension plan	(552)	(233)	(236)
GE | Pension costs
All other operating activities
Principal pension plan	3,623	4,498	3,604
GE | Appliances
All other operating activities
(Gains) losses on purchases and sales of business interests(a)	(3,136)
GE | GEAM
All other operating activities
(Gains) losses on purchases and sales of business interests(a)	(398)
Principal pension plan	(330)
GE | Signaling
All other operating activities
(Gains) losses on purchases and sales of business interests(a)		(623)
GE Capital
All other operating activities
Cash collateral on derivative contracts	(428)	(1,936)	738
Increase (decrease) in other liabilities	(2,616)	4,860	(3,331)
Other	(10)	2,163	5,073
All other operating activities	(3,054)	5,087	2,480
Cash recovered (paid) during the year for income taxes	(4,857)	(850)	(1,618)
Current tax expense (benefit)	(1,138)	2,796	(455)
Net dispositions (purchases) of GE shares for treasury
Net dispositions (purchases) of GE shares for treasury	0	0	0
Net decrease (increase) in GE Capital financing receivables
Increase in loans to customers	(65,055)	(65,306)	(64,843)
Principal collections from customers - loans	60,375	60,292	60,764
Investment in equipment for financing leases	(690)	(417)	(535)
Principal collections from customers - financing leases	856	734	841
Sales of financing receivables	3,235	4,923	3,612
Net decrease (increase) in GE Capital financing receivables	(1,279)	226	(161)
All other investing activities
Purchases of investment securities	(18,588)	(7,790)	(2,008)
Dispositions and maturities of investment securities	7,343	9,587	2,723
Decrease (increase) in other assets - investments	9,202	(1,439)	(287)
Other(f)	3,682	(5,048)	24,146
All other investing activities	1,639	(4,690)	24,574
Repayments and other reductions (maturities longer than 90 days)
Short-term (91 to 365 days)	(44,519)	(42,110)	(36,919)
Long-term (longer than one year)	(13,418)	(2,455)	(864)
Principal payments - non-recourse, leveraged leases	(348)	(283)	(304)
Repayments and other debt reductions (maturities longer than 90 days)	(58,285)	(44,848)	(38,087)
All Other financing activities [Abstract]
Proceeds from sale of investment contracts	19	163	322
Redemption of investment contracts	(346)	(1,235)	(1,113)
Other	(800)	(290)	112
All other financing activities	$ (1,127)	$ (1,362)	$ (679)