Intangibles and Goodwill - Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of the year	$ 13,840	$ 12,155
Goodwill resulting from acquisitions	597	1,724
Finalization of purchase price allocations and other, net	(13)	(10)
Goodwill de-recognized in divestiture of business	0
Balance, end of the year	14,424	13,840
Information Storage
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of the year	7,442	7,034
Goodwill resulting from acquisitions	145	438
Finalization of purchase price allocations and other, net	11	(1)
Goodwill de-recognized in divestiture of business	(112)
Balance, end of the year	7,486	7,442
Information Intelligence Group
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of the year	1,484	1,469
Goodwill resulting from acquisitions	1	15
Finalization of purchase price allocations and other, net	2	0
Goodwill transferred in formation of Pivotal	0
Balance, end of the year	1,487	1,484
RSA Information Security
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of the year	2,022	1,849
Goodwill resulting from acquisitions	181	179
Finalization of purchase price allocations and other, net	0	(6)
Goodwill transferred in formation of Pivotal	0
Balance, end of the year	2,203	2,022
Pivotal
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of the year	0	0
Goodwill resulting from acquisitions	37	0
Finalization of purchase price allocations and other, net	0	0
Goodwill de-recognized in divestiture of business	140
Balance, end of the year	177	0
VMware Virtual Infrastructure Within EMC Corp
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of the year	2,892	1,803
Goodwill resulting from acquisitions	233	1,092
Finalization of purchase price allocations and other, net	(26)	(3)
Goodwill de-recognized in divestiture of business	28
Balance, end of the year	3,071	2,892
Iomega
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill transferred in formation of Pivotal		(29)
Iomega | Information Storage
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill transferred in formation of Pivotal		(29)
Iomega | Information Intelligence Group
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill transferred in formation of Pivotal		0
Iomega | RSA Information Security
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill transferred in formation of Pivotal		0
Iomega | Pivotal
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill transferred in formation of Pivotal		0
Iomega | VMware Virtual Infrastructure Within EMC Corp
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill transferred in formation of Pivotal		$ 0