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Acquisitions/Divestitures (Details 1) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Acquisition
Dec. 31, 2013
Acquisition
Dec. 31, 2012
Acquisition
Sep. 30, 2014
Acquisition
Jul. 03, 2013
Dec. 03, 2012
Sep. 30, 2013
Acquisition
Acquisitions:              
Businesses acquired, number (in entities) 6us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired 10us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired 11us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired        
Businesses acquired, aggregate cost $ 608us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1 $ 3,219us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1 $ 3,964us-gaap_BusinessCombinationConsiderationTransferred1        
Goodwill 30,556us-gaap_Goodwill 31,184us-gaap_Goodwill 29,247us-gaap_Goodwill        
Software              
Acquisitions:              
Businesses acquired, number (in entities) 5us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SoftwareSegmentMember
           
Goodwill 21,000us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SoftwareSegmentMember
21,121us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SoftwareSegmentMember
20,405us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SoftwareSegmentMember
       
GBS              
Acquisitions:              
Goodwill 4,086us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_GlobalBusinessServicesMember
4,334us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_GlobalBusinessServicesMember
4,357us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_GlobalBusinessServicesMember
       
GTS              
Acquisitions:              
Businesses acquired, number (in entities)       1us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_GlobalTechnologyServicesMember
     
Goodwill 3,998us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_GlobalTechnologyServicesMember
4,129us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_GlobalTechnologyServicesMember
2,916us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_GlobalTechnologyServicesMember
       
STG              
Acquisitions:              
Goodwill 1,472us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SystemsAndTechnologyMember
1,601us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SystemsAndTechnologyMember
1,568us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SystemsAndTechnologyMember
       
SoftLayer              
Acquisitions:              
Percentage of business acquired         100.00%us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ibm_SoftLayerTechnologiesIncMember
   
Businesses acquired, cash consideration         1,977us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ibm_SoftLayerTechnologiesIncMember
   
Goodwill   1,285us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ibm_SoftLayerTechnologiesIncMember
    1,285us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ibm_SoftLayerTechnologiesIncMember
   
Expected percent of goodwill deductible for tax purposes         0.00%ibm_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationGoodwillExpectedTaxDeductiblePercent
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ibm_SoftLayerTechnologiesIncMember
   
Acquired intangible asset, weighted average useful life   7 years          
SoftLayer | Software              
Acquisitions:              
Goodwill         39us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ibm_SoftLayerTechnologiesIncMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SoftwareSegmentMember
   
SoftLayer | GTS              
Acquisitions:              
Goodwill         1,246us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ibm_SoftLayerTechnologiesIncMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_GlobalTechnologyServicesMember
   
Kenexa              
Acquisitions:              
Percentage of business acquired           100.00%us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ibm_KenexaCorporationMember
 
Businesses acquired, cash consideration           1,351us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesGross
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ibm_KenexaCorporationMember
 
Goodwill     1,014us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ibm_KenexaCorporationMember
    1,014us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ibm_KenexaCorporationMember
 
Expected percent of goodwill deductible for tax purposes           10.00%ibm_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationGoodwillExpectedTaxDeductiblePercent
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ibm_KenexaCorporationMember
 
Acquired intangible asset, weighted average useful life     6 years 6 months        
Kenexa | Software              
Acquisitions:              
Goodwill           771us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ibm_KenexaCorporationMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SoftwareSegmentMember
 
Kenexa | GTS              
Acquisitions:              
Goodwill           243us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ibm_KenexaCorporationMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_GlobalTechnologyServicesMember
 
Other Acquisitions              
Acquisitions:              
Percentage of business acquired 100.00%us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
100.00%us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
100.00%us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
       
Goodwill 442us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
961us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
1,880us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
       
Expected percent of goodwill deductible for tax purposes 1.00%ibm_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationGoodwillExpectedTaxDeductiblePercent
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
2.00%ibm_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationGoodwillExpectedTaxDeductiblePercent
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
15.00%ibm_BusinessAcquisitionPurchasePriceAllocationGoodwillExpectedTaxDeductiblePercent
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
       
Acquired intangible asset, weighted average useful life 6 years 10 months 6 years 7 months 6 years 7 months        
Other Acquisitions | Software              
Acquisitions:              
Businesses acquired, number (in entities)   8us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SoftwareSegmentMember
8us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SoftwareSegmentMember
       
Goodwill 430us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SoftwareSegmentMember
948us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SoftwareSegmentMember
1,412us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SoftwareSegmentMember
       
Other Acquisitions | GBS              
Acquisitions:              
Goodwill     5us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_GlobalBusinessServicesMember
       
Other Acquisitions | GTS              
Acquisitions:              
Goodwill 11us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_GlobalTechnologyServicesMember
  21us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_GlobalTechnologyServicesMember
       
Other Acquisitions | STG              
Acquisitions:              
Businesses acquired, number (in entities)     2us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SystemsAndTechnologyMember
      1us-gaap_NumberOfBusinessesAcquired
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SystemsAndTechnologyMember
Goodwill   $ 13us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SystemsAndTechnologyMember
$ 443us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesOfIndividuallyImmaterialBusinessAcquisitionsMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ibm_SystemsAndTechnologyMember