CONTRACT AND OTHER DEFERRED ASSETS & PROGRESS COLLECTIONS AND DEFERRED INCOME - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Capitalized Contract Cost [Line Items]
Decrease in contract and other deferred assets	$ 1,246
Revenue recognized included in contract liability	6,585	$ 7,498
Power and Renewable Energy
Capitalized Contract Cost [Line Items]
Increase (decrease) in progress collections and deferred income due to timing of revenue recognition	(604)
Long-term \| Services
Capitalized Contract Cost [Line Items]
Decrease due to billings	4,527
Increase due to revenues recognized	4,670
Long-term \| Services \| Aviation
Capitalized Contract Cost [Line Items]
Decrease due to billings	791
Non-cash pre-tax charge	(536)
Long-term \| Services \| Power
Capitalized Contract Cost [Line Items]
Decrease due to billings	22
GE \| Operating Segments \| Aviation
Capitalized Contract Cost [Line Items]
Early payments received	$ 708

Contract With Customer, Asset, Cumulative Catch-Up Adjustment To Revenue, Change In Estimated Profitability

No definition available.

Name:	ge_ContractWithCustomerAssetCumulativeCatchUpAdjustmentToRevenueChangeInEstimatedProfitability
Namespace Prefix:	ge_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Contract With Customer, Asset, Cumulative Catch-Up Adjustment To Revenue, Change In Estimated Profitability, Non-cash Pre-tax Charge

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ge_ContractWithCustomerAssetCumulativeCatchUpAdjustmentToRevenueChangeInEstimatedProfitabilityNoncashPretaxCharge
Namespace Prefix:	ge_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Contract With Customer, Asset, Customer Advances

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ge_ContractWithCustomerAssetCustomerAdvances
Namespace Prefix:	ge_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contract With Customer, Asset, Revenues Recognized

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ge_ContractWithCustomerAssetRevenuesRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	ge_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Increase (Decrease) In Contract With Customer, Asset And Other Deferred Assets

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ge_IncreaseDecreaseInContractWithCustomerAssetAndOtherDeferredAssets
Namespace Prefix:	ge_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CapitalizedContractCostLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized arising from contract liability from change in timeframe for performance obligation to be satisfied.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121604090&loc=SL49130551-203045

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerLiabilityChangeInTimeframePerformanceObligationSatisfiedRevenueRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of revenue recognized that was previously included in balance of obligation to transfer good or service to customer for which consideration from customer has been received or is due.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121604090&loc=SL49130549-203045

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerLiabilityRevenueRecognized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ge_PowerAndRenewableEnergySegmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ContractWithCustomerDurationAxis=us-gaap_LongTermContractWithCustomerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=ge_ServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ge_AviationSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=ge_PowerSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidatedEntitiesAxis=srt_SubsidiariesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_ConsolidationItemsAxis=us-gaap_OperatingSegmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: