Equity and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income - Changes in Components of Total equity (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance			$ 62,835
Net income attributable to Verizon	$ 4,357	$ 5,194	13,213	$ 14,170
Foreign currency translation adjustments	124	(10)	81	(53)
Unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	505	(166)	(1,391)	(716)
Unrealized gain on marketable securities	2	2	7	10
Defined benefit pension and postretirement plans	(169)	(169)	(507)	(507)
Other comprehensive income (loss)			$ (1,810)
Shareholder plans (in shares)			2,300
Total comprehensive income	4,966	4,994	$ 11,820	13,305
Ending Balance	$ 66,530	$ 60,312	$ 66,530	$ 60,312
Dividends declared per common share (USD per share)	$ 0.6275	$ 0.6150	$ 1.8575	$ 1.8200
Accounting Standards Update [Extensible List]			us-gaap:AccountingStandardsUpdate201613Member	us-gaap:AccountingStandardsUpdate201602Member
Common Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	$ 429	$ 429	$ 429	$ 429
Beginning balance (in shares)	4,291,434	4,291,434	4,291,434	4,291,434
Ending Balance (in shares)	4,291,434	4,291,434	4,291,434	4,291,434
Ending Balance	$ 429	$ 429	$ 429	$ 429
Additional Paid In Capital
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	13,281	13,419	13,419	13,437
Other	123	(1)	(15)	(19)
Ending Balance	13,404	13,418	13,404	13,418
Retained Earnings
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	56,746	47,945	53,147	43,542
Other	(33)	0
Net income attributable to Verizon	4,357	5,194	13,213	14,170
Dividends declared	(2,597)	(2,544)	(7,687)	(7,527)
Ending Balance	58,473	50,595	58,473	50,595
Retained Earnings | Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance			(200)	410
Retained Earnings | Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjusted Balance
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance			52,947	43,952
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	(1,274)	1,447	998	2,370
Foreign currency translation adjustments	124	(10)	81	(53)
Unrealized gain (loss) on cash flow hedges	505	(166)	(1,391)	(716)
Unrealized gain on marketable securities	2	2	7	10
Defined benefit pension and postretirement plans	(169)	(169)	(507)	(507)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	462	(343)	(1,810)	(1,266)
Ending Balance	(812)	1,104	(812)	1,104
Treasury Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	$ (6,722)	$ (6,823)	$ (6,820)	$ (6,986)
Beginning balance (in shares)	153,380	155,669	155,606	159,400
Employee plans (in shares)	41	20	2,263	3,746
Employee plans	$ 1	$ 1	$ 99	$ 164
Shareholder plans (in shares)			4	5
Shareholder plans			$ 0	$ 0
Ending Balance (in shares)	153,339	155,649	153,339	155,649
Ending Balance	$ (6,721)	$ (6,822)	$ (6,721)	$ (6,822)
Deferred Compensation-ESOPs and Other
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	237	165	222	353
Restricted stock equity grant	62	32	234	111
Amortization	(3)	0	(160)	(267)
Ending Balance	296	197	296	197
Noncontrolling Interests
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance	1,416	1,365	1,440	1,565
Total comprehensive income	147	143	417	401
Distributions and other	(102)	(117)	(396)	(576)
Ending Balance	$ 1,461	$ 1,391	1,461	1,391
Noncontrolling Interests | Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance			0	1
Noncontrolling Interests | Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjusted Balance
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance			$ 1,440	$ 1,566