Stock-Based Compensation - Additional Information (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			36 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended													12 Months Ended
	May 31, 2007 Plan	Dec. 31, 2013 Plan	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum	Dec. 31, 2013 Common Stock	Dec. 31, 2013 EMC Employee Stock Purchase - 1989 Plan	Dec. 31, 2013 EMC Employee Stock Purchase - 1989 Plan Common Stock	May 31, 2009 VMware 2007 Equity and Incentive Plan	Dec. 31, 2013 VMware 2007 Equity and Incentive Plan	Dec. 31, 2013 VMware Stock Repurchase Plan VMware Class A common stock	Dec. 31, 2013 VMware Employee Stock Purchase Plan - 2007 Plan	Dec. 31, 2013 VMware Employee Stock Purchase Plan - 2007 Plan VMware Class A common stock	May 31, 2013 VMware Employee Stock Purchase Plan - 2007 Plan VMware Class A common stock	Dec. 31, 2013 Vesting Upon Fulfilling Service Conditions	Dec. 31, 2013 Vesting Accelerated Upon Achieving Performance Conditions	Dec. 31, 2013 Vesting Upon Achieving Certain Performance Conditions	Dec. 31, 2013 VMware Restricted Stock	Dec. 31, 2012 VMware Restricted Stock	Dec. 31, 2011 VMware Restricted Stock	Dec. 31, 2010 VMware Restricted Stock	Dec. 31, 2013 VMware Restricted Stock VMware 2007 Equity and Incentive Plan Minimum	Dec. 31, 2013 VMware Restricted Stock VMware 2007 Equity and Incentive Plan Maximum	Dec. 31, 2013 VMware Stock Options	Dec. 31, 2012 VMware Stock Options	Dec. 31, 2011 VMware Stock Options	Dec. 31, 2013 VMware Stock Options VMware 2007 Equity and Incentive Plan	Dec. 31, 2013 VMware Stock Options VMware 2007 Equity and Incentive Plan Minimum	Dec. 31, 2013 VMware Stock Options VMware 2007 Equity and Incentive Plan Maximum	Dec. 31, 2013 VMware Stock Options VMware VMware 2007 Equity and Incentive Plan VMware Class A common stock	Dec. 31, 2013 EMC Information Infrastructure Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units	Dec. 31, 2012 EMC Information Infrastructure Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units	Dec. 31, 2011 EMC Information Infrastructure Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units	Dec. 31, 2010 EMC Information Infrastructure Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units	Dec. 31, 2013 EMC Information Infrastructure Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units Minimum	Dec. 31, 2013 EMC Information Infrastructure Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units Pro Rata Vesting Minimum	Dec. 31, 2013 EMC Information Infrastructure Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units Pro Rata Vesting Maximum	Dec. 31, 2013 EMC Information Infrastructure Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units Cliff Vesting Minimum	Dec. 31, 2013 EMC Information Infrastructure Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units Cliff Vesting Maximum	Dec. 31, 2013 EMC Information Infrastructure Stock Options	Dec. 31, 2012 EMC Information Infrastructure Stock Options	Dec. 31, 2011 EMC Information Infrastructure Stock Options
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Other Employee Related Liabilities, Current								$ 93
Exercise price for a stock option, minimum percentage of fair market value		100.00%
Period from date of grant that options become exercisable						5 years
Period from date of grant that options expire (no later than ten years after the date of grant)		10 years				10 years																							6 years	7 years
Restricted stock vesting period																							3 years	4 years				3 years				2 years				2 years	3 years	4 years	3 years	5 years
Number of shares authorized for grant							420,000,000				100,000,000
Number of shares reserved for every one share issued in connection with awards																																2
Number of other stock option plans, in addition to 2003 Plan		4
Number of plans consolidated into the 2003 Plan	4
Common stock, shares reserved for future issuance		982,000,000						183,000,000							8,000,000
Number of plans		5
Number of shares available for grant							78,000,000				11,000,000		7,000,000
Purchase price of common stock, as a percent of fair market value									85.00%																			25.00%			100.00%
Weighted average remaining contractual term																																									3 years 6 months 0 days
Options, exercisable, aggregate intrinsic value																									209																533
Options, exercisable																									4,000,000																50,000,000
Options, vested and expected to vest																									6,000,000																57,000,000
Options, vested and expected to vest, weighted average remaining contractual term																									3 years 2 months 12 days																3 years 11 months 0 days
Options, vested and expected to vest, aggregate intrinsic value																									261																604
Closing stock price																									$ 89.71																$ 25.15
Options, exercised, aggregate intrinsic value																									256	443	648														240	518	619
Cash proceeds from the exercise of stock options																																									260	407	532
Income tax benefits realized from the exercise of stock options																																									45	97	127
Vested, intrinsic value																																404	421	371
Outstanding and unvested (in shares)																			13,000,000	12,000,000	10,000,000	10,000,000										48,000,000	47,000,000	46,000,000	44,000,000
Outstanding and unvested, intrinsic value		$ 1,203,000,000																	$ 1,153,000,000
Expected to vest (in shares)																43,000,000	9,000,000	5,000,000
Increase in number of shares available for issuance										20,000,000
Number of shares assumed in business acquisitions											2,000,000
Stock repurchase plan, amount remaining for repurchase					6,000							660
Purchase price of stock, percent of market value on grant date														85.00%
Purchase price of stock, percent of market value on exercise date														85.00%
ESPP withholding payable														36
Stock options exercisable, weighted-average remaining contractual term																									1 year 9 months 24 days
ESPP, stock-based compensation expense		54	52	44
Unrecognized compensation expense		$ 1,379
Unrecognized compensation expense, weighted-average remaining period		1 year 6 months