485BPOS

SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940,
the Registrant hereby certifies that it meets all requirements for effectiveness of this Registration
Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the
Town of Valley Forge and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on the 18th day of June, 2019.
	VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS
	BY:______s/ Mortimer J. Buckley*
	Mortimer J. Buckley
	Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective Amendment to the
Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on
the date indicated:
Signature	Title	Date
/s/ Mortimer J. Buckley*	Chairman and Chief Executive	June 18, 2019
	Officer
Mortimer J. Buckley
/s/ Emerson U. Fullwood*	Trustee	June 18, 2019
Emerson U. Fullwood
/s/ Amy Gutmann*	Trustee	June 18, 2019
Amy Gutmann
/s/ F. Joseph Loughrey*	Trustee	June 18, 2019
F. Joseph Loughrey
/s/ Mark Loughridge*	Trustee	June 18, 2019
Mark Loughridge
/s/ Scott C. Malpass*	Trustee	June 18, 2019
Scott C. Malpass
/s/ Deanna Mulligan*	Trustee	June 18, 2019
Deanna Mulligan
/s/ André F. Perold*	Trustee	June 18, 2019
André F. Perold
/s/ Sarah Bloom Raskin*	Trustee	June 18, 2019
Sarah Bloom Raskin
/s/ Peter F. Volanakis*	Trustee	June 18, 2019
Peter F. Volanakis
/s/ Thomas J. Higgins*	Chief Financial Officer	June 18, 2019
Thomas J. Higgins
*By: /s/ Anne E. Robinson
Anne E. Robinson, pursuant to a Power of Attorney filed on January 18, 2018, see File Number 33-32216,
Incorporated by Reference.

C-1

INDEX TO EXHIBITS
XBRL Instance Document	Ex-101.INS
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document	Ex-101.SCH
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document	Ex-101.CAL
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document.	Ex-101.DEF
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Labels Linkbase Document	Ex-101.LAB
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document	Ex-101.PRE

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Document Type	dei_DocumentType	485BPOS
Document Period End Date	dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate	Jan. 31, 2019
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS
Central Index Key	dei_EntityCentralIndexKey	0000734383
Amendment Flag	dei_AmendmentFlag	false
Document Creation Date	dei_DocumentCreationDate	May 30, 2019
Document Effective Date	dei_DocumentEffectiveDate	May 30, 2019
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 30, 2019
Entity Inv Company Type	dei_EntityInvCompanyType	N-1A

XML

Retail | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund

Fund Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of common stocks of companies that have a record of increasing dividends over time.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Shares or Admiral Shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees<br/><br/> (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Retail - Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund - USD ($)		Investor Shares	Admiral Shares
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases		none	none
Purchase Fee		none	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends		none	none
Redemption Fee		none	none
Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	[1]	$ 20	$ 20

Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br/><br/> (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Retail - Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund	Investor Shares	Admiral Shares
Management Fees	0.12%	0.07%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	none	none
Other Expenses	0.02%	0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	0.14%	0.08%

Examples

The following examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Shares or Admiral Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. They illustrate the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. These examples assume that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example - Retail - Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund - USD ($)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Investor Shares	14	45	79	179
Admiral Shares	8	26	45	103

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense examples, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 16% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the Nasdaq US Dividend Achievers Select Index, which consists of common stocks of companies that have a record of increasing dividends over time. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.

Principal Risks

An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance:

• Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Fund’s target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.

• Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from dividend-paying stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. In addition, mid-capitalization stocks (to the extent that the Fund’s assets are invested in mid-cap stocks) historically have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall stock market. Dividend-paying stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better—or worse—than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Annual Total Returns

The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of the Fund‘s target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.

Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund Investor Shares

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 12.82% (quarter ended December 31, 2011), and the lowest return for a quarter was –12.54% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018

Average Annual Total Returns - Retail - Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund - Investor Shares	1 Year	5 Years	10 Years
Before Taxes	(2.08%)	7.55%	11.59%
Return After Taxes on Distributions	(2.52%)	7.04%	11.13%
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares	(0.89%)	5.88%	9.60%
NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)	(1.98%)	7.71%	11.81%

Average Annual Total Returns - Retail - Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund - Admiral Shares	1 Year	5 Years	Since Inception	Inception Date
Before Taxes	(2.03%)	7.64%	8.04%	Dec. 19, 2013
NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)	(1.98%)	7.71%	8.11%	Dec. 19, 2013

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class. After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.

[1] /year

[1] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 12.50%.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 30, 2019
Retail | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	Fund Summary
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of common stocks of companies that have a record of increasing dividends over time.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Shares or Admiral Shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees<br/><br/> (Fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br/><br/> (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense examples, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 16% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	16.00%
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Examples
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The following examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Shares or Admiral Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. They illustrate the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. These examples assume that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the Nasdaq US Dividend Achievers Select Index, which consists of common stocks of companies that have a record of increasing dividends over time. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance: • Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Fund’s target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector. • Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from dividend-paying stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. In addition, mid-capitalization stocks (to the extent that the Fund’s assets are invested in mid-cap stocks) historically have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall stock market. Dividend-paying stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better—or worse—than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]	rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution	An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Annual Total Returns
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of the Fund‘s target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of the Fund‘s target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-662-7447
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	vanguard.com/performance
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund Investor Shares
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 12.82% (quarter ended December 31, 2011), and the lowest return for a quarter was –12.54% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class.
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher	rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher	Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class. After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Retail | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Purchase Fee	rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	$ 20	[1]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.12%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.02%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.14%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 14
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	45
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	79
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	179
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	14
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	45
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	79
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 179
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	19.15%	[2]
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	14.57%	[2]
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	6.05%	[2]
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	11.50%	[2]
2013	rr_AnnualReturn2013	28.85%	[2]
2014	rr_AnnualReturn2014	9.98%	[2]
2015	rr_AnnualReturn2015	(2.05%)	[2]
2016	rr_AnnualReturn2016	11.73%	[2]
2017	rr_AnnualReturn2017	22.12%	[2]
2018	rr_AnnualReturn2018	(2.08%)	[2]
Year to Date Return, Label	rr_YearToDateReturnLabel	year-to-date return
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2019
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn	12.50%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	highest return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2011
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	12.82%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	lowest return
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(12.54%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.08%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.55%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.59%
Retail | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund | Admiral Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Purchase Fee	rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	$ 20	[1]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.07%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.08%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 8
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	26
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	45
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	103
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	8
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	26
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	45
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 103
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.03%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.64%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	8.04%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Dec. 19, 2013
Retail | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.52%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.04%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.13%
Retail | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(0.89%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	5.88%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	9.60%
Retail | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund | NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.98%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.71%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.81%
Retail | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund | NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) | Admiral Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.98%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.71%
Since Inception	rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception	8.11%
Inception Date	rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate	Dec. 19, 2013

[1] /year

[2] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 12.50%.

XML

ETF | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund

ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of common stocks of companies that have a record of increasing dividends over time.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold ETF Shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees<br/><br/> (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees	ETF Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF Shares USD ($)	[1]
Transaction Fee on Purchases and Sales	none
Transaction Fee on Reinvested Dividends	none
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br/><br/> (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses	ETF Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF Shares
Management Fees	0.05%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	none
Other Expenses	0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	0.06%

Example

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s ETF Shares with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to sell your shares at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
ETF | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund | ETF Shares | USD ($)	6	19	34	77

This example does not include the brokerage commissions that you may pay to buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund.

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 16% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the Nasdaq US Dividend Achievers Select Index, which consists of common stocks of companies that have a record of increasing dividends over time. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.

Principal Risks

An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance:

• Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Fund’s target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector.

• Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from dividend-paying stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. In addition, mid-capitalization stocks (to the extent that the Fund’s assets are invested in mid-cap stocks) historically have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall stock market. Dividend-paying stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better—or worse—than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

Because ETF Shares are traded on an exchange, they are subject to additional risks:

• The Fund’s ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca and are bought and sold on the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of an ETF Share typically will approximate its net asset value (NAV), there may be times when the market price and the NAV differ significantly. Thus, you may pay more or less than NAV when you buy ETF Shares on the secondary market, and you may receive more or less than NAV when you sell those shares.

• Although the Fund’s ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, it is possible that an active trading market may not be maintained.

• Trading of the Fund’s ETF Shares may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide trading halts (which halt trading for a specific period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market prices decline by a specified percentage). Trading of the Fund’s ETF Shares may also be halted if (1) the shares are delisted from NYSE Arca without first being listed on another exchange or (2) NYSE Arca officials determine that such action is appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or for the protection of investors.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Annual Total Returns

The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.

Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF Shares

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 12.86% (quarter ended December 31, 2011), and the lowest return for a quarter was –12.51% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018

Average Annual Total Returns - ETF - Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund	1 Year	5 Years	10 Years
ETF Shares | Based on NAV	(2.02%)	7.64%	11.70%
ETF Shares | Based on NAV Return After Taxes on Distributions	(2.48%)	7.11%	11.22%
ETF Shares | Based on NAV Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares	(0.85%)	5.95%	9.69%
ETF Shares | Based on Market Price	(2.10%)	7.63%	11.69%
NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)	(1.98%)	7.71%	11.81%

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.

[1] None through Vanguard (Broker fees vary)

[1] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 12.52%.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 30, 2019
ETF | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	ETF Summary
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks to track the performance of a benchmark index that measures the investment return of common stocks of companies that have a record of increasing dividends over time.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold ETF Shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees<br/><br/> (Fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br/><br/> (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 16% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	16.00%
Expense Exchange Traded Fund Commissions [Text]	rr_ExpenseExchangeTradedFundCommissions	This example does not include the brokerage commissions that you may pay to buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund.
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s ETF Shares with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to sell your shares at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example Closing [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleClosingTextBlock	This example does not include the brokerage commissions that you may pay to buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund.
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the Nasdaq US Dividend Achievers Select Index, which consists of common stocks of companies that have a record of increasing dividends over time. The Fund attempts to replicate the target index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance: • Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s target index tracks a subset of the U.S. stock market, which could cause the Fund to perform differently from the overall stock market. In addition, the Fund’s target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a particular market sector, which would subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of that sector. • Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from dividend-paying stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. In addition, mid-capitalization stocks (to the extent that the Fund’s assets are invested in mid-cap stocks) historically have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall stock market. Dividend-paying stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better—or worse—than the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years. Because ETF Shares are traded on an exchange, they are subject to additional risks: • The Fund’s ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca and are bought and sold on the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of an ETF Share typically will approximate its net asset value (NAV), there may be times when the market price and the NAV differ significantly. Thus, you may pay more or less than NAV when you buy ETF Shares on the secondary market, and you may receive more or less than NAV when you sell those shares. • Although the Fund’s ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, it is possible that an active trading market may not be maintained. • Trading of the Fund’s ETF Shares may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide trading halts (which halt trading for a specific period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market prices decline by a specified percentage). Trading of the Fund’s ETF Shares may also be halted if (1) the shares are delisted from NYSE Arca without first being listed on another exchange or (2) NYSE Arca officials determine that such action is appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or for the protection of investors. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]	rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution	An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Annual Total Returns
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-662-7447
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	vanguard.com/performance
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF Shares
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 12.86% (quarter ended December 31, 2011), and the lowest return for a quarter was –12.51% (quarter ended September 30, 2011).
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan.
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher	rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher	Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
ETF | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund | ETF Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Transaction Fee on Purchases and Sales	specialized_TransactionFeeOnPurchasesandSales	none	[1]
Transaction Fee on Reinvested Dividends	specialized_TransactionFeeOnReinvestedDividends	none	[1]
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	specialized_TransactionFeeOnConversionToETFShares	none	[1]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.05%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.06%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 6
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	19
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	34
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	77
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	6
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	19
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	34
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 77
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	19.33%	[2]
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	14.67%	[2]
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	6.21%	[2]
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	11.61%	[2]
2013	rr_AnnualReturn2013	28.99%	[2]
2014	rr_AnnualReturn2014	10.06%	[2]
2015	rr_AnnualReturn2015	(1.95%)	[2]
2016	rr_AnnualReturn2016	11.84%	[2]
2017	rr_AnnualReturn2017	22.22%	[2]
2018	rr_AnnualReturn2018	(2.02%)	[2]
Year to Date Return, Label	rr_YearToDateReturnLabel	year-to-date return
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2019
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn	12.52%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	highest return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2011
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	12.86%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	lowest return
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(12.51%)
ETF | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund | Based on NAV | ETF Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.02%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.64%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.70%
ETF | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund | Based on Market Price | ETF Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.10%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.63%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.69%
ETF | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund | Based on NAV Return After Taxes on Distributions | ETF Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(2.48%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.11%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.22%
ETF | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund | Based on NAV Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | ETF Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(0.85%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	5.95%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	9.69%
ETF | Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund | NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.98%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.71%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.81%

[1] None through Vanguard (Broker fees vary)

[2] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 12.52%.

XML

Retail | Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund

Fund Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide, primarily, a growing stream of income over time and,

secondarily, long-term capital appreciation and current income.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees <br/><br/>(Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees	Retail Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund Investor Shares USD ($)
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	none
Redemption Fee	none
Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	$ 20	[1]

Annual Fund Operating Expenses <br/><br/>(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses	Retail Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund Investor Shares
Management Fees	0.21%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	none
Other Expenses	0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	0.22%

Example

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Retail | Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund | Investor Shares | USD ($)	23	71	124	280

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 23% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests primarily in stocks that tend to offer current dividends. The Fund focuses on high-quality companies that have prospects for long-term total returns as a result of their ability to grow earnings and their willingness to increase dividends over time. These stocks typically—but not always—will be large-cap, will be undervalued relative to the market, and will show potential for increasing dividends. The Fund seeks to be diversified across industry sectors.

Principal Risks

An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance:

• Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices.

• Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective.

• Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from dividend-paying large-capitalization stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Large-cap stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better—or worse—than other segments of the stock market or the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Annual Total Returns

The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare with those of a relevant market index and other comparative indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. The Dividend Growth Spliced Index reflects the performance of the Russell 1000 Index through January 31, 2010, and the NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index thereafter. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.

Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund Investor Shares

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 11.91% (quarter ended December 31, 2011), and the lowest return for a quarter was –9.81% (quarter ended June 30, 2010).

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018

Average Annual Total Returns - Retail - Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund		1 Year	5 Years	10 Years
Investor Shares		0.18%	8.09%	12.26%
Investor Shares | Return After Taxes on Distributions		(1.87%)	6.76%	11.36%
Investor Shares | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares		1.41%	6.21%	10.14%
Russell 1000 Index	[1]	(4.78%)	8.21%	13.28%
Dividend Growth Spliced Index	[1]	(1.98%)	7.71%	12.45%
NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index	[1]	(1.98%)	7.71%	11.81%

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.

[1] /year

[1] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 13.84%.

[1] Comparative Indexes (reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 30, 2019
Retail | Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	Fund Summary
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks to provide, primarily, a growing stream of income over time and,
Objective, Secondary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectiveSecondaryTextBlock	secondarily, long-term capital appreciation and current income.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees <br/><br/>(Fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses <br/><br/>(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 23% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	23.00%
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund invests primarily in stocks that tend to offer current dividends. The Fund focuses on high-quality companies that have prospects for long-term total returns as a result of their ability to grow earnings and their willingness to increase dividends over time. These stocks typically—but not always—will be large-cap, will be undervalued relative to the market, and will show potential for increasing dividends. The Fund seeks to be diversified across industry sectors.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance: • Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. • Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective. • Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from dividend-paying large-capitalization stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Large-cap stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better—or worse—than other segments of the stock market or the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]	rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution	An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Annual Total Returns
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare with those of a relevant market index and other comparative indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. The Dividend Growth Spliced Index reflects the performance of the Russell 1000 Index through January 31, 2010, and the NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index thereafter. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare with those of a relevant market index and other comparative indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-662-7447
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	vanguard.com/performance
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund Investor Shares
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 11.91% (quarter ended December 31, 2011), and the lowest return for a quarter was –9.81% (quarter ended June 30, 2010).
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan.
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher	rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher	Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Retail | Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Purchase Fee	rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	$ 20	[1]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.21%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.22%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 23
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	71
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	124
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	280
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	23
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	71
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	124
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 280
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	21.74%	[2]
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	11.42%	[2]
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	9.43%	[2]
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	10.39%	[2]
2013	rr_AnnualReturn2013	31.53%	[2]
2014	rr_AnnualReturn2014	11.85%	[2]
2015	rr_AnnualReturn2015	2.62%	[2]
2016	rr_AnnualReturn2016	7.53%	[2]
2017	rr_AnnualReturn2017	19.33%	[2]
2018	rr_AnnualReturn2018	0.18%	[2]
Year to Date Return, Label	rr_YearToDateReturnLabel	year-to-date return
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2019
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn	13.84%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	highest return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2011
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	11.91%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	lowest return
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2010
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(9.81%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	0.18%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	8.09%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.26%
Retail | Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.87%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	6.76%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.36%
Retail | Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	1.41%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	6.21%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	10.14%
Retail | Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund | Russell 1000 Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.78%)	[3]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	8.21%	[3]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	13.28%	[3]
Retail | Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund | Dividend Growth Spliced Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.98%)	[3]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.71%	[3]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.45%	[3]
Retail | Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund | NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.98%)	[3]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.71%	[3]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.81%	[3]

[1] /year

[2] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 13.84%.

[3] Comparative Indexes (reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

XML

Investor Shares for Annuity | Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund

Fund Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide, primarily, a growing stream of income over time and,

secondarily, long-term capital appreciation and current income.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees <br/><br/>(Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees	Investor Shares for Annuity Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund Investor Shares
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	none
Redemption Fee	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses <br/><br/>(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses	Investor Shares for Annuity Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund Investor Shares
Management Fees	0.21%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	none
Other Expenses	0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	0.22%

Example

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Investor Shares for Annuity | Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund | Investor Shares | USD ($)	23	71	124	280

This example does not include fees associated with the income annuity program through which you invest. Detailed information about the annuity program fees is presented in the “Fee Table” section of the accompanying prospectus of the insurance company that offers your annuity program.

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 23% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests primarily in stocks that tend to offer current dividends. The Fund focuses on high-quality companies that have prospects for long-term total returns as a result of their ability to grow earnings and their willingness to increase dividends over time. These stocks typically—but not always—will be large-cap, will be undervalued relative to the market, and will show potential for increasing dividends. The Fund seeks to be diversified across industry sectors.

Principal Risks

An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance:

• Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices.

• Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective.

• Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from dividend-paying large-capitalization stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Large-cap stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better—or worse—than other segments of the stock market or the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Annual Total Returns

The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare with those of a relevant market index and other comparative indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. The Dividend Growth Spliced Index reflects the performance of the Russell 1000 Index through January 31, 2010, and the NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index thereafter. The bar chart and table do not reflect additional fees and expenses that are deducted by the income annuity program through which you invest. If such fees and expenses were included in the calculation of the Fund’s returns, the returns would be lower. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.

Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund Investor Shares

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 11.91% (quarter ended December 31, 2011), and the lowest return for a quarter was –9.81% (quarter ended June 30, 2010).

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018

Average Annual Total Returns - Investor Shares for Annuity - Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund		1 Year	5 Years	10 Years
Investor Shares		0.18%	8.09%	12.26%
Russell 1000 Index	[1]	(4.78%)	8.21%	13.28%
Dividend Growth Spliced Index	[1]	(1.98%)	7.71%	12.45%
NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index	[1]	(1.98%)	7.71%	11.81%

[1] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 13.84%.

[1] Comparative Indexes (reflect no deduction for fees or expenses)

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 30, 2019
Investor Shares for Annuity | Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	Fund Summary
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks to provide, primarily, a growing stream of income over time and,
Objective, Secondary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectiveSecondaryTextBlock	secondarily, long-term capital appreciation and current income.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees <br/><br/>(Fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses <br/><br/>(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 23% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	23.00%
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example Closing [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleClosingTextBlock	This example does not include fees associated with the income annuity program through which you invest. Detailed information about the annuity program fees is presented in the “Fee Table” section of the accompanying prospectus of the insurance company that offers your annuity program.
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund invests primarily in stocks that tend to offer current dividends. The Fund focuses on high-quality companies that have prospects for long-term total returns as a result of their ability to grow earnings and their willingness to increase dividends over time. These stocks typically—but not always—will be large-cap, will be undervalued relative to the market, and will show potential for increasing dividends. The Fund seeks to be diversified across industry sectors.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance: • Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. • Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective. • Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from dividend-paying large-capitalization stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Large-cap stocks tend to go through cycles of doing better—or worse—than other segments of the stock market or the stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]	rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution	An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Annual Total Returns
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare with those of a relevant market index and other comparative indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. The Dividend Growth Spliced Index reflects the performance of the Russell 1000 Index through January 31, 2010, and the NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index thereafter. The bar chart and table do not reflect additional fees and expenses that are deducted by the income annuity program through which you invest. If such fees and expenses were included in the calculation of the Fund’s returns, the returns would be lower. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare with those of a relevant market index and other comparative indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-662-7447
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	vanguard.com/performance
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund Investor Shares
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	The bar chart and table do not reflect additional fees and expenses that are deducted by the income annuity program through which you invest. If such fees and expenses were included in the calculation of the Fund’s returns, the returns would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 11.91% (quarter ended December 31, 2011), and the lowest return for a quarter was –9.81% (quarter ended June 30, 2010).
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018
Investor Shares for Annuity | Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Purchase Fee	rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.21%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.22%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 23
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	71
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	124
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	280
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	23
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	71
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	124
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 280
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	21.74%	[1]
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	11.42%	[1]
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	9.43%	[1]
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	10.39%	[1]
2013	rr_AnnualReturn2013	31.53%	[1]
2014	rr_AnnualReturn2014	11.85%	[1]
2015	rr_AnnualReturn2015	2.62%	[1]
2016	rr_AnnualReturn2016	7.53%	[1]
2017	rr_AnnualReturn2017	19.33%	[1]
2018	rr_AnnualReturn2018	0.18%	[1]
Year to Date Return, Label	rr_YearToDateReturnLabel	year-to-date return
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2019
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn	13.84%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	highest return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2011
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	11.91%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	lowest return
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2010
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(9.81%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	0.18%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	8.09%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.26%
Investor Shares for Annuity | Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund | Russell 1000 Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.78%)	[2]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	8.21%	[2]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	13.28%	[2]
Investor Shares for Annuity | Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund | Dividend Growth Spliced Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.98%)	[2]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.71%	[2]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.45%	[2]
Investor Shares for Annuity | Vanguard Dividend Growth Fund | NASDAQ US Dividend Achievers Select Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.98%)	[2]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.71%	[2]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.81%	[2]

[1] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 13.84%.

[2] Comparative Indexes (reflect no deduction for fees or expenses)

XML

Retail | Vanguard Energy Fund

Fund Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Shares or Admiral Shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees<br/><br/> (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Retail - Vanguard Energy Fund - USD ($)		Investor Shares	Admiral Shares
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases		none	none
Purchase Fee		none	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends		none	none
Redemption Fee		none	none
Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	[1]	$ 20	$ 20

Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br/><br/> (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Retail - Vanguard Energy Fund	Investor Shares	Admiral Shares
Management Fees	0.34%	0.27%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	none	none
Other Expenses	0.03%	0.02%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	0.37%	0.29%

Examples

The following examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Shares or Admiral Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. They illustrate the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. These examples assume that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example - Retail - Vanguard Energy Fund - USD ($)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Investor Shares	38	119	208	468
Admiral Shares	30	93	163	368

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense examples, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 31% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the common stocks of companies principally engaged in activities in the energy industry, such as the exploration, production, and transmission of energy or energy fuels; the making and servicing of component products for such activities; energy research; and energy conservation or pollution control. The Fund may invest in foreign stocks as part of its principal investment strategy. The Fund uses multiple investment advisors. Each advisor independently selects and maintains a portfolio of common stocks for the Fund.

Principal Risks

An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance:

• Industry concentration risk, which is the chance that there will be particular problems affecting an entire industry. Any fund that concentrates in a particular industry will generally be more volatile than a fund that invests more broadly. Because the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its assets in the common stocks of companies principally engaged in activities in the energy industry, the Fund’s performance largely depends—for better or for worse—on the overall condition of the energy industry. The energy industry could be adversely affected by energy prices, supply-and-demand for energy resources, and various political, regulatory, and economic factors. Additionally, commodity prices may have a significant impact on the stock prices of energy companies.

• Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s investments in foreign stocks can be riskier than U.S. stock investments. Foreign stocks may be more volatile and less liquid than U.S. stocks. The prices of foreign stocks and the prices of U.S. stocks may move in opposite directions.

• Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective.

• Country risk, which is the chance that world events—such as political upheaval, financial troubles, or natural disasters—will adversely affect the value of securities issued by companies in foreign countries.

• Currency risk, which is the chance that the value of a foreign investment, measured in
• dollars, will decrease because of unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates.
• Asset concentration risk, which is the chance that, because the Fund tends to

invest a high percentage of assets in its ten largest holdings, the Fund’s performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few stocks.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Annual Total Returns

The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of relevant market indexes and a comparative benchmark, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. The Spliced Energy Index reflects the performance of the S&P Energy Sector Index through May 31, 2010, and the MSCI ACWI Energy Index thereafter. The MSCI ACWI Energy Index returns are adjusted for withholding taxes. Returns for the Global Natural Resources Funds Average are derived from data provided by Lipper, a Thomson Reuters Company. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.

Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Energy Fund Investor Shares

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 20.94% (quarter ended June 30, 2009), and the lowest return for a quarter was –23.34% (quarter ended December 31, 2018).

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018

Average Annual Total Returns - Retail - Vanguard Energy Fund		1 Year	5 Years	10 Years
Investor Shares		(17.15%)	(5.20%)	3.66%
Investor Shares | Return After Taxes on Distributions		(17.71%)	(6.05%)	2.79%
Investor Shares | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares		(9.74%)	(3.87%)	3.01%
Admiral Shares		(17.08%)	(5.13%)	3.73%
MSCI ACWI Energy Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)	[1]	(13.27%)	(4.47%)	2.94%
S&P Energy Sector Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)	[1]	(18.10%)	(5.56%)	3.50%
Spliced Energy Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)	[1]	(13.27%)	(4.47%)	1.77%
Global Natural Resources Funds Average (reflects no deduction for taxes)	[1]	(19.89%)	(6.99%)	0.90%

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class. After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.

[1] /year

[1] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 15.16%.

[1] Comparative Benchmarks

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 30, 2019
Retail | Vanguard Energy Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	Fund Summary
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Shares or Admiral Shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees<br/><br/> (Fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br/><br/> (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense examples, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 31% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	31.00%
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Examples
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The following examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Shares or Admiral Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. They illustrate the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. These examples assume that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the common stocks of companies principally engaged in activities in the energy industry, such as the exploration, production, and transmission of energy or energy fuels; the making and servicing of component products for such activities; energy research; and energy conservation or pollution control. The Fund may invest in foreign stocks as part of its principal investment strategy. The Fund uses multiple investment advisors. Each advisor independently selects and maintains a portfolio of common stocks for the Fund.
Strategy Portfolio Concentration [Text]	rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration	Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the common stocks of companies principally engaged in activities in the energy industry, such as the exploration, production, and transmission of energy or energy fuels; the making and servicing of component products for such activities; energy research; and energy conservation or pollution control.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance: • Industry concentration risk, which is the chance that there will be particular problems affecting an entire industry. Any fund that concentrates in a particular industry will generally be more volatile than a fund that invests more broadly. Because the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its assets in the common stocks of companies principally engaged in activities in the energy industry, the Fund’s performance largely depends—for better or for worse—on the overall condition of the energy industry. The energy industry could be adversely affected by energy prices, supply-and-demand for energy resources, and various political, regulatory, and economic factors. Additionally, commodity prices may have a significant impact on the stock prices of energy companies. • Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s investments in foreign stocks can be riskier than U.S. stock investments. Foreign stocks may be more volatile and less liquid than U.S. stocks. The prices of foreign stocks and the prices of U.S. stocks may move in opposite directions. • Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective. • Country risk, which is the chance that world events—such as political upheaval, financial troubles, or natural disasters—will adversely affect the value of securities issued by companies in foreign countries. • Currency risk, which is the chance that the value of a foreign investment, measured in • dollars, will decrease because of unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates. • Asset concentration risk, which is the chance that, because the Fund tends to invest a high percentage of assets in its ten largest holdings, the Fund’s performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few stocks. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]	rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution	An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Annual Total Returns
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of relevant market indexes and a comparative benchmark, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. The Spliced Energy Index reflects the performance of the S&P Energy Sector Index through May 31, 2010, and the MSCI ACWI Energy Index thereafter. The MSCI ACWI Energy Index returns are adjusted for withholding taxes. Returns for the Global Natural Resources Funds Average are derived from data provided by Lipper, a Thomson Reuters Company. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of relevant market indexes and a comparative benchmark, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-662-7447
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	vanguard.com/performance
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Energy Fund Investor Shares
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 20.94% (quarter ended June 30, 2009), and the lowest return for a quarter was –23.34% (quarter ended December 31, 2018).
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class.
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher	rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher	Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class. After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Retail | Vanguard Energy Fund | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Purchase Fee	rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	$ 20	[1]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.34%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.03%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.37%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 38
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	119
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	208
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	468
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	38
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	119
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	208
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 468
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	38.36%	[2]
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	13.43%	[2]
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(1.74%)	[2]
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	2.67%	[2]
2013	rr_AnnualReturn2013	18.14%	[2]
2014	rr_AnnualReturn2014	(14.26%)	[2]
2015	rr_AnnualReturn2015	(21.50%)	[2]
2016	rr_AnnualReturn2016	33.10%	[2]
2017	rr_AnnualReturn2017	3.17%	[2]
2018	rr_AnnualReturn2018	(17.15%)	[2]
Year to Date Return, Label	rr_YearToDateReturnLabel	year-to-date return
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2019
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn	15.16%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	highest return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	20.94%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	lowest return
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2018
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(23.34%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(17.15%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	(5.20%)
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	3.66%
Retail | Vanguard Energy Fund | Admiral Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Purchase Fee	rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	$ 20	[1]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.27%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.02%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.29%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 30
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	93
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	163
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	368
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	30
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	93
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	163
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 368
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(17.08%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	(5.13%)
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	3.73%
Retail | Vanguard Energy Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(17.71%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	(6.05%)
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	2.79%
Retail | Vanguard Energy Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(9.74%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	(3.87%)
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	3.01%
Retail | Vanguard Energy Fund | MSCI ACWI Energy Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(13.27%)	[3]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	(4.47%)	[3]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	2.94%	[3]
Retail | Vanguard Energy Fund | S&P Energy Sector Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(18.10%)	[3]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	(5.56%)	[3]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	3.50%	[3]
Retail | Vanguard Energy Fund | Spliced Energy Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(13.27%)	[3]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	(4.47%)	[3]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	1.77%	[3]
Retail | Vanguard Energy Fund | Global Natural Resources Funds Average (reflects no deduction for taxes)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(19.89%)	[3]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	(6.99%)	[3]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	0.90%	[3]

[1] /year

[2] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 15.16%.

[3] Comparative Benchmarks

XML

Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund

Fund Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Shares or Admiral Shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees<br/><br/> (Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Retail - Vanguard Health Care Fund - USD ($)		Investor Shares	Admiral Shares
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases		none	none
Purchase Fee		none	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends		none	none
Redemption Fee		none	none
Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	[1]	$ 20	$ 20

Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br/><br/> (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Retail - Vanguard Health Care Fund	Investor Shares	Admiral Shares
Management Fees	0.32%	0.28%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	none	none
Other Expenses	0.02%	none	[1]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	0.34%	0.28%

Examples

The following examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Shares or Admiral Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. They illustrate the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. These examples assume that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example - Retail - Vanguard Health Care Fund - USD ($)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Investor Shares	35	109	191	431
Admiral Shares	29	90	157	356

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense examples, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 16% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the stocks of companies principally engaged in the development, production, or distribution of products and services related to the health care industry. These companies include, among others, pharmaceutical firms, medical supply companies, and businesses that operate hospitals and other health care facilities. The Fund may also consider companies engaged in medical, diagnostic, biochemical, and other research and development activities. The Fund’s advisor strives for a balanced representation of the health care field, searching for the best values in the various subsectors of the industry. The Fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in foreign stocks.

Principal Risks

An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance:

• Industry concentration risk, which is the chance that there will be particular problems affecting an entire industry. Any fund that concentrates in a particular industry will generally be more volatile than a fund that invests more broadly. Because the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its assets in the stocks of companies related to the health care industry, the Fund’s performance largely depends—for better or for worse—on the overall condition of this industry. The health care industry could be adversely affected by various political, regulatory, supply-and-demand, and other economic factors.

• Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s investments in foreign stocks can be riskier than U.S. stock investments. Foreign stocks may be more volatile and less liquid than U.S. stocks. The prices of foreign stocks and the prices of U.S. stocks may move in opposite directions.

• Asset concentration risk, which is the chance that, because the Fund tends to invest a high percentage of assets in its ten largest holdings, the Fund’s performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few stocks.

• Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective.

• Country risk, which is the chance that world events—such as political upheaval, financial troubles, or natural disasters—will adversely affect the value of securities issued by companies in foreign countries.

• Currency risk, which is the chance that the value of a foreign investment, measured in U.S. dollars, will decrease because of unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Annual Total Returns

The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of a relevant market index and other comparative benchmarks, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. The Spliced Health Care Index reflects the performance of the S&P Health Care Index through May 31, 2010, and the MSCI ACWI Health Care Index thereafter. The MSCI ACWI Health Care Index returns are adjusted for withholding taxes. Returns for the Global Health/Biotechnology Funds Average are derived from data provided by Lipper, a Thomson Reuters Company. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.

Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Health Care Fund Investor Shares

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 14.43% (quarter ended March 31, 2013), and the lowest return for a quarter was –11.18% (quarter ended December 31, 2018).

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018

Average Annual Total Returns - Retail - Vanguard Health Care Fund		1 Year	5 Years	10 Years
Investor Shares		1.15%	9.78%	14.16%
Investor Shares | Return After Taxes on Distributions		(0.93%)	7.44%	12.44%
Investor Shares | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares		2.12%	7.48%	11.65%
Admiral Shares		1.21%	9.83%	14.22%
MSCI ACWI Health Care Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)	[1]	1.71%	7.41%	11.83%
Spliced Health Care Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)	[1]	1.71%	7.41%	12.13%
Global Health/Biotechnology Funds Average (reflects no deduction for taxes)	[1]	0.43%	7.52%	12.88%

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class. After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.

[1] /year

[1] 0.00%

[1] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 7.91%.

[1] Comparative Benchmarks

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 30, 2019
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	Fund Summary
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Shares or Admiral Shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees<br/><br/> (Fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br/><br/> (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense examples, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 16% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	16.00%
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Examples
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The following examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Shares or Admiral Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. They illustrate the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. These examples assume that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the stocks of companies principally engaged in the development, production, or distribution of products and services related to the health care industry. These companies include, among others, pharmaceutical firms, medical supply companies, and businesses that operate hospitals and other health care facilities. The Fund may also consider companies engaged in medical, diagnostic, biochemical, and other research and development activities. The Fund’s advisor strives for a balanced representation of the health care field, searching for the best values in the various subsectors of the industry. The Fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in foreign stocks.
Strategy Portfolio Concentration [Text]	rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration	Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the stocks of companies principally engaged in the development, production, or distribution of products and services related to the health care industry. These companies include, among others, pharmaceutical firms, medical supply companies, and businesses that operate hospitals and other health care facilities. The Fund may also consider companies engaged in medical, diagnostic, biochemical, and other research and development activities.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance: • Industry concentration risk, which is the chance that there will be particular problems affecting an entire industry. Any fund that concentrates in a particular industry will generally be more volatile than a fund that invests more broadly. Because the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its assets in the stocks of companies related to the health care industry, the Fund’s performance largely depends—for better or for worse—on the overall condition of this industry. The health care industry could be adversely affected by various political, regulatory, supply-and-demand, and other economic factors. • Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s investments in foreign stocks can be riskier than U.S. stock investments. Foreign stocks may be more volatile and less liquid than U.S. stocks. The prices of foreign stocks and the prices of U.S. stocks may move in opposite directions. • Asset concentration risk, which is the chance that, because the Fund tends to invest a high percentage of assets in its ten largest holdings, the Fund’s performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few stocks. • Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective. • Country risk, which is the chance that world events—such as political upheaval, financial troubles, or natural disasters—will adversely affect the value of securities issued by companies in foreign countries. • Currency risk, which is the chance that the value of a foreign investment, measured in U.S. dollars, will decrease because of unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]	rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution	An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Annual Total Returns
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of a relevant market index and other comparative benchmarks, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. The Spliced Health Care Index reflects the performance of the S&P Health Care Index through May 31, 2010, and the MSCI ACWI Health Care Index thereafter. The MSCI ACWI Health Care Index returns are adjusted for withholding taxes. Returns for the Global Health/Biotechnology Funds Average are derived from data provided by Lipper, a Thomson Reuters Company. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of a relevant market index and other comparative benchmarks, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-662-7447
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	vanguard.com/performance
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Health Care Fund Investor Shares
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 14.43% (quarter ended March 31, 2013), and the lowest return for a quarter was –11.18% (quarter ended December 31, 2018).
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class.
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher	rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher	Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class. After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Purchase Fee	rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	$ 20	[1]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.32%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.02%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.34%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 35
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	109
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	191
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	431
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	35
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	109
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	191
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 431
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	20.96%	[2]
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	6.16%	[2]
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	11.45%	[2]
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	15.11%	[2]
2013	rr_AnnualReturn2013	43.19%	[2]
2014	rr_AnnualReturn2014	28.52%	[2]
2015	rr_AnnualReturn2015	12.65%	[2]
2016	rr_AnnualReturn2016	(8.99%)	[2]
2017	rr_AnnualReturn2017	19.61%	[2]
2018	rr_AnnualReturn2018	1.15%	[2]
Year to Date Return, Label	rr_YearToDateReturnLabel	year-to-date return
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2019
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn	7.91%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	highest return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2013
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	14.43%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	lowest return
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2018
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(11.18%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	1.15%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	9.78%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	14.16%
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Admiral Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Purchase Fee	rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	$ 20	[1]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.28%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none	[3]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.28%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 29
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	90
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	157
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	356
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	29
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	90
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	157
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 356
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	1.21%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	9.83%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	14.22%
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(0.93%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.44%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.44%
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	2.12%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.48%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.65%
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund | MSCI ACWI Health Care Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	1.71%	[4]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.41%	[4]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.83%	[4]
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Spliced Health Care Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	1.71%	[4]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.41%	[4]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.13%	[4]
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Global Health/Biotechnology Funds Average (reflects no deduction for taxes)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	0.43%	[4]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.52%	[4]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.88%	[4]

[1] /year

[2] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 7.91%.

[3] 0.00%

[4] Comparative Benchmarks

XML

Investor Shares for Annuity | Vanguard Health Care Fund

Fund Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees <br/><br/>(Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees	Investor Shares for Annuity Vanguard Health Care Fund Investor Shares
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	none
Redemption Fee	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br/><br/>(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses	Investor Shares for Annuity Vanguard Health Care Fund Investor Shares
Management Fees	0.32%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	none
Other Expenses	0.02%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	0.34%

Example

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Investor Shares for Annuity | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Investor Shares | USD ($)	35	109	191	431

This example does not include fees associated with the income annuity program through which you invest. Detailed information about the annuity program fees is presented in the “Fee Table” section of the accompanying prospectus of the insurance company that offers your annuity program.

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 16% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the stocks of companies principally engaged in the development, production, or distribution of products and services related to the health care industry. These companies include, among others, pharmaceutical firms, medical supply companies, and businesses that operate hospitals and other health care facilities. The Fund may also consider companies engaged in medical, diagnostic, biochemical, and other research and development activities. The Fund’s advisor strives for a balanced representation of the health care field, searching for the best values in the various subsectors of the industry. The Fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in foreign stocks.

Principal Risks

An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance:

• Industry concentration risk, which is the chance that there will be particular problems affecting an entire industry. Any fund that concentrates in a particular industry will generally be more volatile than a fund that invests more broadly. Because the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its assets in the stocks of companies related to the health care industry, the Fund’s performance largely depends—for better or for worse—on the overall condition of this industry. The health care industry could be adversely affected by various political, regulatory, supply-and-demand, and other economic factors.

• Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s investments in foreign stocks can be riskier than U.S. stock investments. Foreign stocks may be more volatile and less liquid than U.S. stocks. The prices of foreign stocks and the prices of U.S. stocks may move in opposite directions.

• Asset concentration risk, which is the chance that, because the Fund tends to invest a high percentage of assets in its ten largest holdings, the Fund’s performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few stocks.

• Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective.

• Country risk, which is the chance that world events—such as political upheaval, financial troubles, or natural disasters—will adversely affect the value of securities issued by companies in foreign countries.

• Currency risk, which is the chance that the value of a foreign investment, measured in U.S. dollars, will decrease because of unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Annual Total Returns

The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Investor Shares compare with those of a relevant market index and other comparative benchmarks, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. The Spliced Health Care Index reflects the performance of the S&P Health Care Index through May 31, 2010, and the MSCI AWCI Health Care Index thereafter. The MSCI ACWI Health Care Index returns are adjusted for withholding taxes. Returns for the Global Health/Biotechnology Funds Average are derived from data provided by Lipper, a Thomson Reuters Company. The bar chart and table do not reflect additional fees and expenses that are deducted by the income annuity program through which you invest. If such fees and expenses were included in the calculation of the Fund’s returns, the returns would be lower. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.

Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Health Care Fund Investor Shares

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 14.43% (quarter ended March 31, 2013), and the lowest return for a quarter was –11.18% (quarter ended December 31, 2018).

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018

Average Annual Total Returns - Investor Shares for Annuity - Vanguard Health Care Fund		1 Year	5 Years	10 Years
Investor Shares		1.15%	9.78%	14.16%
MSCI ACWI Health Care Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)	[1]	1.71%	7.41%	11.83%
Spliced Health Care Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)	[1]	1.71%	7.41%	12.13%
Global Health/Biotechnology Funds Average	[1]	0.43%	7.52%	12.88%

[1] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 7.91%.

[1] Comparative Benchmarks

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 30, 2019
Investor Shares for Annuity | Vanguard Health Care Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	Fund Summary
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees <br/><br/>(Fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br/><br/>(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 16% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	16.00%
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example Closing [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleClosingTextBlock	This example does not include fees associated with the income annuity program through which you invest. Detailed information about the annuity program fees is presented in the “Fee Table” section of the accompanying prospectus of the insurance company that offers your annuity program.
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the stocks of companies principally engaged in the development, production, or distribution of products and services related to the health care industry. These companies include, among others, pharmaceutical firms, medical supply companies, and businesses that operate hospitals and other health care facilities. The Fund may also consider companies engaged in medical, diagnostic, biochemical, and other research and development activities. The Fund’s advisor strives for a balanced representation of the health care field, searching for the best values in the various subsectors of the industry. The Fund may invest up to 50% of its assets in foreign stocks.
Strategy Portfolio Concentration [Text]	rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration	Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in the stocks of companies principally engaged in the development, production, or distribution of products and services related to the health care industry. These companies include, among others, pharmaceutical firms, medical supply companies, and businesses that operate hospitals and other health care facilities. The Fund may also consider companies engaged in medical, diagnostic, biochemical, and other research and development activities.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance: • Industry concentration risk, which is the chance that there will be particular problems affecting an entire industry. Any fund that concentrates in a particular industry will generally be more volatile than a fund that invests more broadly. Because the Fund normally invests at least 80% of its assets in the stocks of companies related to the health care industry, the Fund’s performance largely depends—for better or for worse—on the overall condition of this industry. The health care industry could be adversely affected by various political, regulatory, supply-and-demand, and other economic factors. • Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s investments in foreign stocks can be riskier than U.S. stock investments. Foreign stocks may be more volatile and less liquid than U.S. stocks. The prices of foreign stocks and the prices of U.S. stocks may move in opposite directions. • Asset concentration risk, which is the chance that, because the Fund tends to invest a high percentage of assets in its ten largest holdings, the Fund’s performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few stocks. • Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective. • Country risk, which is the chance that world events—such as political upheaval, financial troubles, or natural disasters—will adversely affect the value of securities issued by companies in foreign countries. • Currency risk, which is the chance that the value of a foreign investment, measured in U.S. dollars, will decrease because of unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]	rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution	An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Annual Total Returns
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Investor Shares compare with those of a relevant market index and other comparative benchmarks, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. The Spliced Health Care Index reflects the performance of the S&P Health Care Index through May 31, 2010, and the MSCI AWCI Health Care Index thereafter. The MSCI ACWI Health Care Index returns are adjusted for withholding taxes. Returns for the Global Health/Biotechnology Funds Average are derived from data provided by Lipper, a Thomson Reuters Company. The bar chart and table do not reflect additional fees and expenses that are deducted by the income annuity program through which you invest. If such fees and expenses were included in the calculation of the Fund’s returns, the returns would be lower. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Investor Shares compare with those of a relevant market index and other comparative benchmarks, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-662-7447
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	vanguard.com/performance
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Health Care Fund Investor Shares
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	The bar chart and table do not reflect additional fees and expenses that are deducted by the income annuity program through which you invest. If such fees and expenses were included in the calculation of the Fund’s returns, the returns would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 14.43% (quarter ended March 31, 2013), and the lowest return for a quarter was –11.18% (quarter ended December 31, 2018).
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018
Investor Shares for Annuity | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Purchase Fee	rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.32%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.02%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.34%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 35
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	109
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	191
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	431
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	35
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	109
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	191
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 431
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	20.96%	[1]
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	6.16%	[1]
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	11.45%	[1]
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	15.11%	[1]
2013	rr_AnnualReturn2013	43.19%	[1]
2014	rr_AnnualReturn2014	28.52%	[1]
2015	rr_AnnualReturn2015	12.65%	[1]
2016	rr_AnnualReturn2016	(8.99%)	[1]
2017	rr_AnnualReturn2017	19.61%	[1]
2018	rr_AnnualReturn2018	1.15%	[1]
Year to Date Return, Label	rr_YearToDateReturnLabel	year-to-date return
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2019
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn	7.91%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	highest return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2013
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	14.43%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	lowest return
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2018
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(11.18%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	1.15%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	9.78%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	14.16%
Investor Shares for Annuity | Vanguard Health Care Fund | MSCI ACWI Health Care Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	1.71%	[2]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.41%	[2]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.83%	[2]
Investor Shares for Annuity | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Spliced Health Care Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	1.71%	[2]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.41%	[2]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.13%	[2]
Investor Shares for Annuity | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Global Health/Biotechnology Funds Average
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	0.43%	[2]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.52%	[2]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.88%	[2]

[1] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 7.91%.

[2] Comparative Benchmarks

XML

Retail | Vanguard Global Capital Cycles Fund

Fund Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees <br/><br/>(Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees	Retail Vanguard Global Capital Cycles Fund Investor Shares USD ($)
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	none
Redemption Fee	none
Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	$ 20	[1]

Annual Fund Operating Expenses <br/><br/>(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses	Retail Vanguard Global Capital Cycles Fund Investor Shares
Management Fees	0.30%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	none
Other Expenses	0.03%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	0.33%

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Retail | Vanguard Global Capital Cycles Fund | Investor Shares | USD ($)	34	106	185	418

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 110% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests in U.S. and foreign equity securities. The Fund seeks to generate above average compounded returns by purchasing securities in companies and industries where capital spending is declining, and seeks to avoid companies, assets, and business models that can be easily replicated. Companies, assets, and business models that cannot be easily replicated may include those with differentiated offerings, a low-cost advantage, or that maintain an advantage over competitors in their same industry. The Fund typically invests across a range of sectors, a mix of developed and emerging markets stocks, and typically holds companies across the market capitalization spectrum. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e. hold 25% or more of its net assets) in securities of issuers in the precious metals and mining industry.

Principal Risks

An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance:

• Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s investments in foreign stocks can be riskier than U.S. stock investments. Foreign stocks may be more volatile and less liquid than U.S. stocks. The prices of foreign stocks and the prices of U.S. stocks may move in opposite directions.

• Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from the types of stocks in which the Fund invests will trail returns from global stock markets. Small-, mid-, and large-capitalization stocks each tend to go through cycles of doing better—or worse—than other segments of the stock market or the global stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years. Historically, small- and mid-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than large-cap stocks. The stock prices of small and mid-size companies tend to experience greater volatility because, among other things, these companies tend to be more sensitive to changing economic conditions.

• Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective.

• Country/regional risk, which is the chance that world events—such as political upheaval, financial troubles, or natural disasters—will adversely affect the value of securities issued by companies in foreign countries or regions. Country/regional risk is especially high in emerging markets.

• Currency risk, which is the chance that the value of a foreign investment, measured in U.S. dollars, will decrease because of unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates.

Currency risk is especially high in emerging markets.

• Industry concentration risk, which is the chance that there will be particular problems affecting an entire industry. Any fund that concentrates in a particular industry will generally be more volatile than a fund that invests more broadly. The precious metals and mining industry could be affected by sharp price volatility caused by global economic, financial, and political factors. Resource availability, government regulation, inflation expectations and economic cycles could also adversely affect that industry.

• Nondiversification risk, which is the chance that the Fund’s performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few stocks or even a single stock. The Fund is considered nondiversified, which means that it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of particular issuers as compared with diversified mutual funds.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Annual Total Returns

Effective September 26, 2018, the Fund changed its name, performance benchmark, and investment strategy. Performance for the periods prior to September 26, 2018, shown below is based on the investment strategy utilized by the Fund prior to September 26, 2018, under the name Vanguard Precious Metals and Mining Fund. Performance for the periods through July 27, 2018, shown below reflects that of the Fund’s prior investment advisor, M&G Investment Management Limited (“M&G”). M&G served as the Fund’s investment advisor through July 27, 2018.

The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare with those of relevant market indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Returns for the MSCI ACWI Index are adjusted for withholding taxes. As of September 26, 2018, in connection with a change to the Fund’s name and investment strategy, the Fund added the S&P Global BMI Metals & Mining 25% Weighted Index (USD) (Custom) and the MSCI ACWI Index as the performance benchmarks against which the Fund measures its performance and no longer measures its performance against the S&P Global Custom Metals and Mining Index and the S&P 500 Index. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.

Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Global Capital Cycles Fund Investor Shares

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 34.84% (quarter ended June 30, 2016), and the lowest return for a quarter was –23.00% (quarter ended June 30, 2013).

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018

Average Annual Total Returns - Retail - Vanguard Global Capital Cycles Fund		1 Year	5 Years	10 Years
Investor Shares		(32.27%)	(6.21%)	(2.48%)
Investor Shares | Return After Taxes on Distributions		(32.83%)	(6.50%)	(3.06%)
Investor Shares | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares		(18.90%)	(4.56%)	(1.32%)
S&P Global BMI Metals & Mining 25% Weighted Index (USD) (Custom)	[1],[2]
MSCI ACWI Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)	[1]	(9.42%)	4.26%	9.46%
Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)	[1]	(4.38%)	8.49%	13.12%
S&P Global Custom Metals and Mining Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)	[1]	(13.38%)	(0.03%)	2.99%

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.

[1] /year

[1] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 10.04%.

[1] Comparative Indexes

[2] Effective September 26, 2018, the Fund changed its primary benchmark to the S&P Global BMI Metals and Mining 25% Weighted Index (USD) (Custom) and changed its name and investment strategy. Because the S&P Global BMI Metals and Mining 25% Weighted Index (USD) (Custom) has an inception date of June 3, 2018, performance information is not included above.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 30, 2019
Retail | Vanguard Global Capital Cycles Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	Fund Summary
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees <br/><br/>(Fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses <br/><br/>(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 110% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	110.00%
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the Fund provides a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund invests in U.S. and foreign equity securities. The Fund seeks to generate above average compounded returns by purchasing securities in companies and industries where capital spending is declining, and seeks to avoid companies, assets, and business models that can be easily replicated. Companies, assets, and business models that cannot be easily replicated may include those with differentiated offerings, a low-cost advantage, or that maintain an advantage over competitors in their same industry. The Fund typically invests across a range of sectors, a mix of developed and emerging markets stocks, and typically holds companies across the market capitalization spectrum. The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e. hold 25% or more of its net assets) in securities of issuers in the precious metals and mining industry.
Strategy Portfolio Concentration [Text]	rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration	The Fund will concentrate its investments (i.e. hold 25% or more of its net assets) in securities of issuers in the precious metals and mining industry.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance: • Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s investments in foreign stocks can be riskier than U.S. stock investments. Foreign stocks may be more volatile and less liquid than U.S. stocks. The prices of foreign stocks and the prices of U.S. stocks may move in opposite directions. • Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from the types of stocks in which the Fund invests will trail returns from global stock markets. Small-, mid-, and large-capitalization stocks each tend to go through cycles of doing better—or worse—than other segments of the stock market or the global stock market in general. These periods have, in the past, lasted for as long as several years. Historically, small- and mid-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than large-cap stocks. The stock prices of small and mid-size companies tend to experience greater volatility because, among other things, these companies tend to be more sensitive to changing economic conditions. • Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective. • Country/regional risk, which is the chance that world events—such as political upheaval, financial troubles, or natural disasters—will adversely affect the value of securities issued by companies in foreign countries or regions. Country/regional risk is especially high in emerging markets. • Currency risk, which is the chance that the value of a foreign investment, measured in U.S. dollars, will decrease because of unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates. Currency risk is especially high in emerging markets. • Industry concentration risk, which is the chance that there will be particular problems affecting an entire industry. Any fund that concentrates in a particular industry will generally be more volatile than a fund that invests more broadly. The precious metals and mining industry could be affected by sharp price volatility caused by global economic, financial, and political factors. Resource availability, government regulation, inflation expectations and economic cycles could also adversely affect that industry. • Nondiversification risk, which is the chance that the Fund’s performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few stocks or even a single stock. The Fund is considered nondiversified, which means that it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of particular issuers as compared with diversified mutual funds. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]	rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution	An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]	rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus	• Nondiversification risk, which is the chance that the Fund’s performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of relatively few stocks or even a single stock. The Fund is considered nondiversified, which means that it may invest a greater percentage of its assets in the securities of particular issuers as compared with diversified mutual funds.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Annual Total Returns
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	Effective September 26, 2018, the Fund changed its name, performance benchmark, and investment strategy. Performance for the periods prior to September 26, 2018, shown below is based on the investment strategy utilized by the Fund prior to September 26, 2018, under the name Vanguard Precious Metals and Mining Fund. Performance for the periods through July 27, 2018, shown below reflects that of the Fund’s prior investment advisor, M&G Investment Management Limited (“M&G”). M&G served as the Fund’s investment advisor through July 27, 2018. The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare with those of relevant market indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Returns for the MSCI ACWI Index are adjusted for withholding taxes. As of September 26, 2018, in connection with a change to the Fund’s name and investment strategy, the Fund added the S&P Global BMI Metals & Mining 25% Weighted Index (USD) (Custom) and the MSCI ACWI Index as the performance benchmarks against which the Fund measures its performance and no longer measures its performance against the S&P Global Custom Metals and Mining Index and the S&P 500 Index. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare with those of relevant market indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-662-7447
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	vanguard.com/performance
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Global Capital Cycles Fund Investor Shares
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 34.84% (quarter ended June 30, 2016), and the lowest return for a quarter was –23.00% (quarter ended June 30, 2013).
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018
Performance Table Market Index Changed	rr_PerformanceTableMarketIndexChanged	Effective September 26, 2018, the Fund changed its primary benchmark to the S&P Global BMI Metals and Mining 25% Weighted Index (USD) (Custom) and changed its name and investment strategy. Because the S&P Global BMI Metals and Mining 25% Weighted Index (USD) (Custom) has an inception date of June 3, 2018, performance information is not included above.
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan.
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher	rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher	Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Retail | Vanguard Global Capital Cycles Fund | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Purchase Fee	rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	$ 20	[1]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.30%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.03%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.33%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 34
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	106
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	185
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	418
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	34
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	106
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	185
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 418
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	76.46%	[2]
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	37.45%	[2]
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(21.70%)	[2]
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	(12.98%)	[2]
2013	rr_AnnualReturn2013	(35.13%)	[2]
2014	rr_AnnualReturn2014	(11.41%)	[2]
2015	rr_AnnualReturn2015	(29.42%)	[2]
2016	rr_AnnualReturn2016	50.64%	[2]
2017	rr_AnnualReturn2017	13.75%	[2]
2018	rr_AnnualReturn2018	(32.27%)	[2]
Year to Date Return, Label	rr_YearToDateReturnLabel	year-to-date return
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2019
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn	10.04%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	highest return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2016
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	34.84%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	lowest return
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2013
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(23.00%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(32.27%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	(6.21%)
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	(2.48%)
Retail | Vanguard Global Capital Cycles Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(32.83%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	(6.50%)
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	(3.06%)
Retail | Vanguard Global Capital Cycles Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(18.90%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	(4.56%)
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	(1.32%)
Retail | Vanguard Global Capital Cycles Fund | S&P Global BMI Metals & Mining 25% Weighted Index (USD) (Custom)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01		[3],[4]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05		[3],[4]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10		[3],[4]
Retail | Vanguard Global Capital Cycles Fund | MSCI ACWI Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(9.42%)	[3]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	4.26%	[3]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	9.46%	[3]
Retail | Vanguard Global Capital Cycles Fund | Standard & Poor's 500 Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.38%)	[3]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	8.49%	[3]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	13.12%	[3]
Retail | Vanguard Global Capital Cycles Fund | S&P Global Custom Metals and Mining Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(13.38%)	[3]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	(0.03%)	[3]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	2.99%	[3]

[1] /year

[2] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 10.04%.

[3] Comparative Indexes

[4] Effective September 26, 2018, the Fund changed its primary benchmark to the S&P Global BMI Metals and Mining 25% Weighted Index (USD) (Custom) and changed its name and investment strategy. Because the S&P Global BMI Metals and Mining 25% Weighted Index (USD) (Custom) has an inception date of June 3, 2018, performance information is not included above.

XML

Retail | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund

Fund Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide a high level of income and moderate long-term capital appreciation by tracking the performance of a benchmark index that measures the performance of publicly traded equity REITs and other real estate-related investments.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Shares or Admiral Shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees<br/><br/>(Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees - Retail - Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund - USD ($)		Investor Shares	Admiral Shares
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases		none	none
Purchase Fee		none	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends		none	none
Redemption Fee		none	none
Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	[1]	$ 20	$ 20

Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br/><br/>(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Retail - Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund		Investor Shares	Admiral Shares
Management Fees		0.23%	0.11%
12b-1 Distribution Fee		none	none
Other Expenses	[1]	0.03%	0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses		0.26%	0.12%

Examples

The following examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Shares or Admiral Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. They illustrate the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. These examples assume that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example - Retail - Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund - USD ($)	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Investor Shares	27	84	146	331
Admiral Shares	12	39	68	154

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense examples, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 24% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index, an index that is made up of stocks of large, mid-size, and small U.S. companies within the real estate sector, as classified under the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS). The GICS real estate sector is composed of equity real estate investment trusts (known as REITs), which include specialized REITs, and real estate management and development companies.

The Fund attempts to track the Index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets—either directly or indirectly through a wholly owned subsidiary (the underlying fund), which is itself a registered investment company—in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in the underlying fund.

Principal Risks

An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance:

• Industry concentration risk, which is the chance that the stocks of REITs and other real estate-related investments will decline because of adverse developments affecting the real estate industry and real property values. Because the Fund concentrates its assets in these stocks, industry concentration risk is high.

• Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a limited number of companies, which could cause the Fund to underperform the overall stock market.

• Interest rate risk, which is the chance that REIT stock prices overall will decline and that the cost of borrowing for REITs will increase because of rising interest rates. Interest rate risk is high for the Fund.

• Investment style risk, which is the chance that the returns from the stocks of REITs and other real estate-related investments—which typically are small- or mid-capitalization stocks—will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, these stocks have performed quite differently from the overall market.

• Nondiversification risk, which is the chance that the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer or group of issuers or may own larger positions of an issuer’s voting stock than a diversified fund.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Annual Total Returns

The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of the Fund‘s target index and comparative indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Effective July 24, 2018, the Fund began tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index as its target index. The Fund‘s board of trustees believes that the new index is more closely aligned with the Fund‘s new investment objective. The Real Estate Spliced Index reflects the performance of the MSCI US REIT Index adjusted to include a 2% cash position (Lipper Money Market Average) through April 30, 2009; the MSCI US REIT Index through February 1, 2018; the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Transition Index through July 24, 2018; and the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index thereafter. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.

Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund Investor Shares

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 34.54% (quarter ended September 30, 2009), and the lowest return for a quarter was –32.08% (quarter ended March 31, 2009).

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018

Average Annual Total Returns - Retail - Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund		1 Year	5 Years	10 Years
Investor Shares		(6.11%)	7.24%	11.89%
Investor Shares | Return After Taxes on Distributions		(7.32%)	5.95%	10.60%
Investor Shares | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares		(3.56%)	5.10%	9.22%
Admiral Shares		(5.95%)	7.40%	12.05%
MSCI US REIT Index	[1]	(4.57%)	7.80%	12.17%
Real Estate Spliced Index	[1]	(5.88%)	7.50%	12.07%
MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index	[1],[2]	(4.59%)

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class. After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.

[1] /year

[1] For the period, acquired fund fees and expenses were less than 0.01% and are included in Other Expenses.

[1] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 17.25%.

[1] Comparative Indexes (reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

[2] The inception date for the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index was September 1, 2016. Index returns are not provided prior to that date.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 30, 2019
Retail | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	Fund Summary
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks to provide a high level of income and moderate long-term capital appreciation by tracking the performance of a benchmark index that measures the performance of publicly traded equity REITs and other real estate-related investments.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Investor Shares or Admiral Shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees<br/><br/>(Fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br/><br/>(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense examples, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 24% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	24.00%
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Examples
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The following examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Shares or Admiral Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. They illustrate the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. These examples assume that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index, an index that is made up of stocks of large, mid-size, and small U.S. companies within the real estate sector, as classified under the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS). The GICS real estate sector is composed of equity real estate investment trusts (known as REITs), which include specialized REITs, and real estate management and development companies. The Fund attempts to track the Index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets—either directly or indirectly through a wholly owned subsidiary (the underlying fund), which is itself a registered investment company—in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in the underlying fund.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance: • Industry concentration risk, which is the chance that the stocks of REITs and other real estate-related investments will decline because of adverse developments affecting the real estate industry and real property values. Because the Fund concentrates its assets in these stocks, industry concentration risk is high. • Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a limited number of companies, which could cause the Fund to underperform the overall stock market. • Interest rate risk, which is the chance that REIT stock prices overall will decline and that the cost of borrowing for REITs will increase because of rising interest rates. Interest rate risk is high for the Fund. • Investment style risk, which is the chance that the returns from the stocks of REITs and other real estate-related investments—which typically are small- or mid-capitalization stocks—will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, these stocks have performed quite differently from the overall market. • Nondiversification risk, which is the chance that the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer or group of issuers or may own larger positions of an issuer’s voting stock than a diversified fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]	rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution	An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]	rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus	• Nondiversification risk, which is the chance that the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer or group of issuers or may own larger positions of an issuer’s voting stock than a diversified fund.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Annual Total Returns
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of the Fund‘s target index and comparative indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Effective July 24, 2018, the Fund began tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index as its target index. The Fund‘s board of trustees believes that the new index is more closely aligned with the Fund‘s new investment objective. The Real Estate Spliced Index reflects the performance of the MSCI US REIT Index adjusted to include a 2% cash position (Lipper Money Market Average) through April 30, 2009; the MSCI US REIT Index through February 1, 2018; the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Transition Index through July 24, 2018; and the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index thereafter. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of the Fund‘s target index and comparative indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund.
Performance Additional Market Index [Text]	rr_PerformanceAdditionalMarketIndex	Effective July 24, 2018, the Fund began tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index as its target index. The Fund‘s board of trustees believes that the new index is more closely aligned with the Fund‘s new investment objective. The Real Estate Spliced Index reflects the performance of the MSCI US REIT Index adjusted to include a 2% cash position (Lipper Money Market Average) through April 30, 2009; the MSCI US REIT Index through February 1, 2018; the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Transition Index through July 24, 2018; and the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index thereafter.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-662-7447
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	vanguard.com/performance
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund Investor Shares
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 34.54% (quarter ended September 30, 2009), and the lowest return for a quarter was –32.08% (quarter ended March 31, 2009).
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan.
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class.
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher	rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher	Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class. After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Retail | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Purchase Fee	rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	$ 20	[1]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.23%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.03%	[2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.26%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 27
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	84
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	146
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	331
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	27
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	84
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	146
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 331
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	29.58%	[3]
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	28.30%	[3]
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	8.47%	[3]
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	17.53%	[3]
2013	rr_AnnualReturn2013	2.31%	[3]
2014	rr_AnnualReturn2014	30.13%	[3]
2015	rr_AnnualReturn2015	2.22%	[3]
2016	rr_AnnualReturn2016	8.34%	[3]
2017	rr_AnnualReturn2017	4.83%	[3]
2018	rr_AnnualReturn2018	(6.11%)	[3]
Year to Date Return, Label	rr_YearToDateReturnLabel	year-to-date return
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2019
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn	17.25%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	highest return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Sep. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	34.54%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	lowest return
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2009
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(32.08%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(6.11%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.24%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.89%
Retail | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | Admiral Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Purchase Fee	rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Account Service Fee (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	$ 20	[1]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.11%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.01%	[2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.12%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 12
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	39
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	68
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	154
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	12
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	39
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	68
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 154
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.95%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.40%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.05%
Retail | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(7.32%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	5.95%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	10.60%
Retail | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Investor Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.56%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	5.10%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	9.22%
Retail | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | MSCI US REIT Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.57%)	[4]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.80%	[4]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.17%	[4]
Retail | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | Real Estate Spliced Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.88%)	[4]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.50%	[4]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.07%	[4]
Retail | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.59%)	[4],[5]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05		[4],[5]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10		[4],[5]

[1] /year

[2] For the period, acquired fund fees and expenses were less than 0.01% and are included in Other Expenses.

[3] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 17.25%.

[4] Comparative Indexes (reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

[5] The inception date for the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index was September 1, 2016. Index returns are not provided prior to that date.

XML

ETF | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund

ETF Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide a high level of income and moderate long-term capital appreciation by tracking the performance of a benchmark index that measures the performance of publicly traded equity REITs and other real estate-related investments.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold ETF Shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees<br/><br/>(Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees	ETF Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF Shares USD ($)	[1]
Transaction Fee on Purchases and Sales	none
Transaction Fee on Reinvested Dividends	none
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br/><br/>(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses	ETF Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF Shares
Management Fees	0.11%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	none
Other Expenses	0.01%	[1]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	0.12%

Example

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s ETF Shares with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to sell your shares at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
ETF | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | ETF Shares | USD ($)	12	39	68	154

This example does not include the brokerage commissions that you may pay to buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund.

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 24% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index, an index that is made up of stocks of large, mid-size, and small U.S. companies within the real estate sector, as classified under the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS). The GICS real estate sector is composed of equity real estate investment trusts (known as REITs), which include specialized REITs, and real estate management and development companies.

The Fund attempts to track the Index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets—either directly or indirectly through a wholly owned subsidiary (the underlying fund), which is itself a registered investment company—in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in the underlying fund.

Principal Risks

An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance:

• Industry concentration risk, which is the chance that the stocks of REITs and other real estate-related investments will decline because of adverse developments affecting the real estate industry and real property values. Because the Fund concentrates its assets in these stocks, industry concentration risk is high.

• Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a limited number of companies, which could cause the Fund to underperform the overall stock market.

• Interest rate risk, which is the chance that REIT stock prices overall will decline and that the cost of borrowing for REITs will increase because of rising interest rates. Interest rate risk is high for the Fund.

• Investment style risk, which is the chance that the returns from the stocks of REITs and other real estate-related investments—which typically are small- or mid-capitalization stocks—will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, these stocks have performed quite differently from the overall market.

• Nondiversification risk, which is the chance that the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer or group of issuers or may own larger positions of an issuer’s voting stock than a diversified fund.

Because ETF Shares are traded on an exchange, they are subject to additional risks:

• The Fund’s ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca and are bought and sold on the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of an ETF Share typically will approximate its net asset value (NAV), there may be times when the market price and the NAV differ significantly. Thus, you may pay more or less than NAV when you buy ETF Shares on the secondary market, and you may receive more or less than NAV when you sell those shares.

• Although the Fund’s ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, it is possible that an active trading market may not be maintained.

• Trading of the Fund’s ETF Shares may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide trading halts (which halt trading for a specific period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market prices decline by a specified percentage). Trading of the Fund’s ETF Shares may also be halted if (1) the shares are delisted from NYSE Arca without first being listed on another exchange or (2) NYSE Arca officials determine that such action is appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or for the protection of investors.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Annual Total Returns

The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index and comparative indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Effective July 24, 2018, the Fund began tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index as its target index. The Fund‘s board of trustees believes that the new index is more closely aligned with the Fund‘s new investment objective. The Real Estate Spliced Index reflects the performance of the MSCI US REIT Index adjusted to include a 2% cash position (Lipper Money Market Average) through April 30, 2009; the MSCI US REIT Index through February 1, 2018; the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Transition Index through July 24, 2018; and the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index thereafter. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.

Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF Shares

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 34.63% (quarter ended September 30, 2009), and the lowest return for a quarter was –32.04% (quarter ended March 31, 2009).

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018

Average Annual Total Returns - ETF - Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund		1 Year	5 Years	10 Years
ETF Shares | Based on NAV		(5.95%)	7.40%	12.04%
ETF Shares | Based on NAV Return After Taxes on Distributions		(7.21%)	6.05%	10.70%
ETF Shares | Based on NAV Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares		(3.46%)	5.20%	9.33%
ETF Shares | Based on Market Price		(5.97%)	7.41%	12.06%
MSCI US REIT Index	[1]	(4.57%)	7.80%	12.17%
Real Estate Spliced Index	[1]	(5.88%)	7.50%	12.07%
MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index	[1],[2]	(4.59%)

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.

[1] None through Vanguard (Broker fees vary)

[1] For the period, acquired fund fees and expenses were less than 0.01% and are included in Other Expenses.

[1] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 17.29%.

[1] Comparative Indexes (reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

[2] The inception date for the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index was September 1, 2016. Index returns are not provided prior to that date.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 30, 2019
ETF | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	ETF Summary
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks to provide a high level of income and moderate long-term capital appreciation by tracking the performance of a benchmark index that measures the performance of publicly traded equity REITs and other real estate-related investments.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold ETF Shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees<br/><br/>(Fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br/><br/>(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 24% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	24.00%
Expense Exchange Traded Fund Commissions [Text]	rr_ExpenseExchangeTradedFundCommissions	This example does not include the brokerage commissions that you may pay to buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund.
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s ETF Shares with the cost of investing in other funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to sell your shares at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example Closing [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleClosingTextBlock	This example does not include the brokerage commissions that you may pay to buy and sell ETF Shares of the Fund.
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index, an index that is made up of stocks of large, mid-size, and small U.S. companies within the real estate sector, as classified under the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS). The GICS real estate sector is composed of equity real estate investment trusts (known as REITs), which include specialized REITs, and real estate management and development companies. The Fund attempts to track the Index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets—either directly or indirectly through a wholly owned subsidiary (the underlying fund), which is itself a registered investment company—in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in the underlying fund.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance: • Industry concentration risk, which is the chance that the stocks of REITs and other real estate-related investments will decline because of adverse developments affecting the real estate industry and real property values. Because the Fund concentrates its assets in these stocks, industry concentration risk is high. • Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a limited number of companies, which could cause the Fund to underperform the overall stock market. • Interest rate risk, which is the chance that REIT stock prices overall will decline and that the cost of borrowing for REITs will increase because of rising interest rates. Interest rate risk is high for the Fund. • Investment style risk, which is the chance that the returns from the stocks of REITs and other real estate-related investments—which typically are small- or mid-capitalization stocks—will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, these stocks have performed quite differently from the overall market. • Nondiversification risk, which is the chance that the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer or group of issuers or may own larger positions of an issuer’s voting stock than a diversified fund. Because ETF Shares are traded on an exchange, they are subject to additional risks: • The Fund’s ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca and are bought and sold on the secondary market at market prices. Although it is expected that the market price of an ETF Share typically will approximate its net asset value (NAV), there may be times when the market price and the NAV differ significantly. Thus, you may pay more or less than NAV when you buy ETF Shares on the secondary market, and you may receive more or less than NAV when you sell those shares. • Although the Fund’s ETF Shares are listed for trading on NYSE Arca, it is possible that an active trading market may not be maintained. • Trading of the Fund’s ETF Shares may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide trading halts (which halt trading for a specific period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market prices decline by a specified percentage). Trading of the Fund’s ETF Shares may also be halted if (1) the shares are delisted from NYSE Arca without first being listed on another exchange or (2) NYSE Arca officials determine that such action is appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or for the protection of investors. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]	rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution	An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]	rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus	• Nondiversification risk, which is the chance that the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer or group of issuers or may own larger positions of an issuer’s voting stock than a diversified fund.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Annual Total Returns
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index and comparative indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Effective July 24, 2018, the Fund began tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index as its target index. The Fund‘s board of trustees believes that the new index is more closely aligned with the Fund‘s new investment objective. The Real Estate Spliced Index reflects the performance of the MSCI US REIT Index adjusted to include a 2% cash position (Lipper Money Market Average) through April 30, 2009; the MSCI US REIT Index through February 1, 2018; the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Transition Index through July 24, 2018; and the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index thereafter. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s ETF Shares (based on NAV) has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the ETF Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index and comparative indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund.
Performance Additional Market Index [Text]	rr_PerformanceAdditionalMarketIndex	Effective July 24, 2018, the Fund began tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index as its target index. The Fund‘s board of trustees believes that the new index is more closely aligned with the Fund‘s new investment objective. The Real Estate Spliced Index reflects the performance of the MSCI US REIT Index adjusted to include a 2% cash position (Lipper Money Market Average) through April 30, 2009; the MSCI US REIT Index through February 1, 2018; the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Transition Index through July 24, 2018; and the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index thereafter.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-662-7447
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	vanguard.com/performance
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund ETF Shares
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 34.63% (quarter ended September 30, 2009), and the lowest return for a quarter was –32.04% (quarter ended March 31, 2009).
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan.
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher	rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher	Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
ETF | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | ETF Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Transaction Fee on Purchases and Sales	specialized_TransactionFeeOnPurchasesandSales	none	[1]
Transaction Fee on Reinvested Dividends	specialized_TransactionFeeOnReinvestedDividends	none	[1]
Transaction Fee on Conversion to ETF Shares	specialized_TransactionFeeOnConversionToETFShares	none	[1]
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.11%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.01%	[2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.12%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 12
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	39
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	68
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	154
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	12
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	39
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	68
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 154
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	29.74%	[3]
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	28.47%	[3]
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	8.62%	[3]
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	17.67%	[3]
2013	rr_AnnualReturn2013	2.42%	[3]
2014	rr_AnnualReturn2014	30.29%	[3]
2015	rr_AnnualReturn2015	2.37%	[3]
2016	rr_AnnualReturn2016	8.53%	[3]
2017	rr_AnnualReturn2017	4.95%	[3]
2018	rr_AnnualReturn2018	(5.95%)	[3]
Year to Date Return, Label	rr_YearToDateReturnLabel	year-to-date return
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2019
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn	17.29%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	highest return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Sep. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	34.63%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	lowest return
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2009
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(32.04%)
ETF | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | Based on NAV | ETF Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.95%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.40%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.04%
ETF | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | Based on Market Price | ETF Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.97%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.41%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.06%
ETF | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | Based on NAV Return After Taxes on Distributions | ETF Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(7.21%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	6.05%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	10.70%
ETF | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | Based on NAV Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | ETF Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.46%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	5.20%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	9.33%
ETF | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | MSCI US REIT Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.57%)	[4]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.80%	[4]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.17%	[4]
ETF | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | Real Estate Spliced Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.88%)	[4]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.50%	[4]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.07%	[4]
ETF | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.59%)	[4],[5]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05		[4],[5]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10		[4],[5]

[1] None through Vanguard (Broker fees vary)

[2] For the period, acquired fund fees and expenses were less than 0.01% and are included in Other Expenses.

[3] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 17.29%.

[4] Comparative Indexes (reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

[5] The inception date for the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index was September 1, 2016. Index returns are not provided prior to that date.

XML

Institutional | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund

Fund Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide a high level of income and moderate long-term capital appreciation by tracking the performance of a benchmark index that measures the performance of publicly traded equity REITs and other real estate-related investments.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Shares of the Fund.

Shareholder Fees<br/><br/>(Fees paid directly from your investment)

Shareholder Fees	Institutional Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund Institutional Shares
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	none
Redemption Fee	none

Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br/><br/>(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Annual Fund Operating Expenses	Institutional Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund Institutional Shares
Management Fees	0.09%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	none
Other Expenses	0.01%	[1]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	0.10%

Example

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Expense Example	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Institutional | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | Institutional Shares | USD ($)	10	32	56	128

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 24% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index, an index that is made up of stocks of large, mid-size, and small U.S. companies within the real estate sector, as classified under the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS). The GICS real estate sector is composed of equity real estate investment trusts (known as REITs), which include specialized REITs, and real estate management and development companies.

The Fund attempts to track the Index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets—either directly or indirectly through a wholly owned subsidiary (the underlying fund), which is itself a registered investment company—in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in the underlying fund.

Principal Risks

An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance:

• Industry concentration risk, which is the chance that the stocks of REITs and other real estate-related investments will decline because of adverse developments affecting the real estate industry and real property values. Because the Fund concentrates its assets in these stocks, industry concentration risk is high.

• Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a limited number of companies, which could cause the Fund to underperform the overall stock market.

• Interest rate risk, which is the chance that REIT stock prices overall will decline and that the cost of borrowing for REITs will increase because of rising interest rates. Interest rate risk is high for the Fund.

• Investment style risk, which is the chance that the returns from the stocks of REITs and other real estate-related investments—which typically are small- or mid-capitalization stocks—will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, these stocks have performed quite differently from the overall market.

• Nondiversification risk, which is the chance that the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer or group of issuers or may own larger positions of an issuer’s voting stock than a diversified fund.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Annual Total Returns

The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Institutional Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Institutional Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index and comparative indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Effective July 24, 2018, the Fund began tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index as its target index. The Fund‘s board of trustees believes that the new index is more closely aligned with the Fund‘s new investment objective. The Real Estate Spliced Index reflects the performance of the MSCI US REIT Index adjusted to include a 2% cash position (Lipper Money Market Average) through April 30, 2009; the MSCI US REIT Index through February 1, 2018; the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Transition Index through July 24, 2018; and the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index thereafter. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.

Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund Institutional Shares

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 34.56% (quarter ended September 30, 2009), and the lowest return for a quarter was –32.01% (quarter ended March 31, 2009).

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018

Average Annual Total Returns - Institutional - Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund		1 Year	5 Years	10 Years
Institutional Shares		(5.93%)	7.41%	12.07%
Institutional Shares | Return After Taxes on Distributions		(7.19%)	6.06%	10.72%
Institutional Shares | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares		(3.45%)	5.21%	9.35%
MSCI US REIT Index	[1]	(4.57%)	7.80%	12.17%
Real Estate Spliced Index	[1]	(5.88%)	7.50%	12.07%
MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index	[1],[2]	(4.59%)

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.

[1] For the period, acquired fund fees and expenses were less than 0.01% and are included in Other Expenses.

[1] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 17.28%.

[1] Comparative Indexes (reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

[2] The inception date for the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index was September 1, 2016. Index returns are not provided prior to that date.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 30, 2019
Institutional | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	Fund Summary
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks to provide a high level of income and moderate long-term capital appreciation by tracking the performance of a benchmark index that measures the performance of publicly traded equity REITs and other real estate-related investments.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold Institutional Shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees<br/><br/>(Fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Fund Operating Expenses<br/><br/>(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense example, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 24% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	24.00%
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Institutional Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. It illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. This example assumes that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund employs an indexing investment approach designed to track the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index, an index that is made up of stocks of large, mid-size, and small U.S. companies within the real estate sector, as classified under the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS). The GICS real estate sector is composed of equity real estate investment trusts (known as REITs), which include specialized REITs, and real estate management and development companies. The Fund attempts to track the Index by investing all, or substantially all, of its assets—either directly or indirectly through a wholly owned subsidiary (the underlying fund), which is itself a registered investment company—in the stocks that make up the Index, holding each stock in approximately the same proportion as its weighting in the Index. The Fund may invest a portion of its assets in the underlying fund.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund’s share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund’s performance: • Industry concentration risk, which is the chance that the stocks of REITs and other real estate-related investments will decline because of adverse developments affecting the real estate industry and real property values. Because the Fund concentrates its assets in these stocks, industry concentration risk is high. • Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s target index may, at times, become focused in stocks of a limited number of companies, which could cause the Fund to underperform the overall stock market. • Interest rate risk, which is the chance that REIT stock prices overall will decline and that the cost of borrowing for REITs will increase because of rising interest rates. Interest rate risk is high for the Fund. • Investment style risk, which is the chance that the returns from the stocks of REITs and other real estate-related investments—which typically are small- or mid-capitalization stocks—will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, these stocks have performed quite differently from the overall market. • Nondiversification risk, which is the chance that the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer or group of issuers or may own larger positions of an issuer’s voting stock than a diversified fund. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]	rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution	An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Nondiversified Status [Text]	rr_RiskNondiversifiedStatus	• Nondiversification risk, which is the chance that the Fund may invest a greater percentage of its assets in a particular issuer or group of issuers or may own larger positions of an issuer’s voting stock than a diversified fund.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Annual Total Returns
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Institutional Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Institutional Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index and comparative indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Effective July 24, 2018, the Fund began tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index as its target index. The Fund‘s board of trustees believes that the new index is more closely aligned with the Fund‘s new investment objective. The Real Estate Spliced Index reflects the performance of the MSCI US REIT Index adjusted to include a 2% cash position (Lipper Money Market Average) through April 30, 2009; the MSCI US REIT Index through February 1, 2018; the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Transition Index through July 24, 2018; and the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index thereafter. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Institutional Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the Institutional Shares compare with those of the Fund‘s target index and comparative indexes, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund.
Performance Additional Market Index [Text]	rr_PerformanceAdditionalMarketIndex	Effective July 24, 2018, the Fund began tracking the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index as its target index. The Fund‘s board of trustees believes that the new index is more closely aligned with the Fund‘s new investment objective. The Real Estate Spliced Index reflects the performance of the MSCI US REIT Index adjusted to include a 2% cash position (Lipper Money Market Average) through April 30, 2009; the MSCI US REIT Index through February 1, 2018; the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Transition Index through July 24, 2018; and the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index thereafter.
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	800-662-7447
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	vanguard.com/performance
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund Institutional Shares
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest return for a calendar quarter was 34.56% (quarter ended September 30, 2009), and the lowest return for a quarter was –32.01% (quarter ended March 31, 2009).
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2018
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan.
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher	rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher	Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Performance Table Narrative	rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock	Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Institutional | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | Institutional Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Purchase Fee	rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.09%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.01%	[1]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.10%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 10
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	32
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	56
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	128
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01	10
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03	32
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05	56
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10	$ 128
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	29.76%	[2]
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	28.56%	[2]
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	8.70%	[2]
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	17.65%	[2]
2013	rr_AnnualReturn2013	2.48%	[2]
2014	rr_AnnualReturn2014	30.28%	[2]
2015	rr_AnnualReturn2015	2.45%	[2]
2016	rr_AnnualReturn2016	8.51%	[2]
2017	rr_AnnualReturn2017	4.93%	[2]
2018	rr_AnnualReturn2018	(5.93%)	[2]
Year to Date Return, Label	rr_YearToDateReturnLabel	year-to-date return
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2019
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn	17.28%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	highest return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Sep. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	34.56%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	lowest return
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2009
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(32.01%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.93%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.41%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.07%
Institutional | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Institutional Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(7.19%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	6.06%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	10.72%
Institutional | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Institutional Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.45%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	5.21%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	9.35%
Institutional | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | MSCI US REIT Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.57%)	[3]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.80%	[3]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.17%	[3]
Institutional | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | Real Estate Spliced Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.88%)	[3]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.50%	[3]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.07%	[3]
Institutional | Vanguard Real Estate Index Fund | MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(4.59%)	[3],[4]
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05		[3],[4]
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10		[3],[4]

[1] For the period, acquired fund fees and expenses were less than 0.01% and are included in Other Expenses.

[2] The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2019, was 17.28%.

[3] Comparative Indexes (reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)

[4] The inception date for the MSCI US Investable Market Real Estate 25/50 Index was September 1, 2016. Index returns are not provided prior to that date.

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 30, 2019
Document Creation Date	dei_DocumentCreationDate	May 30, 2019