Label	Element	Value
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 24, 2024
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:13pt;font-weight:bold;">Fund Summary</span>
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Investment Objective</span>
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Fees and Expenses</span>
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	The following tables describe the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Investor Shares or Admiral Shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the tables and examples below.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">Shareholder Fees</span> <br/><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;margin-left:0%;">(Fees paid directly from your investment)</span>
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">Annual Fund Operating Expenses</span> <br/><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;margin-left:0%;">(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)</span>
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Portfolio Turnover</span>
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	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Examples</span>
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	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Principal Investment Strategies</span>
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.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Principal Risks</span>
Risk [Text Block]	rr_RiskTextBlock	• 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. In addition, significant investments in the biotechnology and pharmaceuticals sectors subjects the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of these sectors.• 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. Because the Fund may invest a large portion of its securities of companies located in any one country or region, the Fund’s performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of its investments in that area.• 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.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Annual Total Returns</span>
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 another comparative index, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. MSCI ACWI Health Care Index returns are adjusted for withholding taxes. 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	<span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">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 another comparative index, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund</span>
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	<span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">800-662-7447</span>
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	<span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;font-style:italic;">vanguard.com/performance</span>
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	<span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.</span>
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	<span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;">Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Health Care Fund Investor Shares</span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:5pt;font-weight:bold;position:relative;top:-3.25pt;">1</span>
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest and lowest returns for a calendar quarter were:
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	<span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2023</span>
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">When after-tax returns are calculated, it is </span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">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. </span>
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">not relevant for </span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. </span>
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor </span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Shares and may differ for each share class. After-tax returns are </span>
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher	rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Also, figures captioned </span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;font-style:italic;">Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares</span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;"> 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.</span>
Performance Table Closing [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock	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 | Risk Nondiversified Status [Member]
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk [Text Block]	rr_RiskTextBlock	• 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.
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Risk Lose Money [Member]
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk [Text Block]	rr_RiskTextBlock	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Member]
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk [Text Block]	rr_RiskTextBlock	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.
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Investor Shares
Risk Return Abstract	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 Per Year (for certain fund account balances below $5,000,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	$ 25
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.34%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.35%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 36
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	113
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	197
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	$ 443
Year to Date Return, Label	rr_YearToDateReturnLabel	year-to-date return
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2024
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return	rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn	5.07%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8pt;margin-left:0.0pt;">Highest</span>
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2019
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	16.84%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8pt;margin-left:0.0pt;">Lowest</span>
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2018
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(11.18%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	5.43%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	10.54%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	10.16%
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Admiral Shares
Risk Return Abstract	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 Per Year (for certain fund account balances below $5,000,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	$ 25
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.30%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	none
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.30%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 31
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	97
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	169
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	$ 381
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	5.48%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	10.60%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	10.21%
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Investor Shares
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	3.67%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	8.40%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	7.92%
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Investor Shares
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	4.39%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	8.06%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	7.76%
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund | Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Float Adjusted Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	26.06%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	15.05%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.40%
Retail | Vanguard Health Care Fund | MSCI ACWI Health Care Index (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses)
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	3.58%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	9.99%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	8.69%