Segment information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Revenues:
Product revenues	$ 3,225	$ 3,319	$ 6,130	$ 6,327
Services revenues	2,772	2,561	5,480	5,032
Total consolidated revenues	5,997	5,880	11,610	11,359
Gross profit	$ 3,587	$ 3,654	$ 6,926	$ 7,001
Gross profit percentage	59.80%	62.10%	59.70%	61.60%
Research and development	$ 782	$ 740	$ 1,570	$ 1,472
Selling, general and administrative	2,102	2,010	4,139	3,861
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	23	30	158	149
Total operating expenses	2,907	2,780	5,867	5,482
Operating income (expense)	680	874	1,059	1,519
Non-operating income (expense), net	9	(65)	4	(139)
Income tax provision	170	187	252	326
Net income	519	622	811	1,054
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interest in VMware, Inc.	(32)	(33)	(72)	(74)
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	487	589	739	980
EMC Information Infrastructure
Revenues:
Product revenues	2,646	2,692	4,952	5,133
Services revenues	1,775	1,685	3,518	3,321
Total consolidated revenues	4,421	4,377	8,470	8,454
Gross profit	$ 2,355	$ 2,454	$ 4,461	$ 4,690
Gross profit percentage	53.30%	56.10%	52.70%	55.50%
Research and development	$ 398	$ 358	$ 822	$ 736
Selling, general and administrative	1,201	1,140	2,371	2,241
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	1,599	1,498	3,193	2,977
Operating income (expense)	756	956	1,268	1,713
Pivotal
Revenues:
Product revenues	20	15	36	26
Services revenues	44	39	82	78
Total consolidated revenues	64	54	118	104
Gross profit	$ 26	$ 26	$ 47	$ 45
Gross profit percentage	40.00%	47.20%	40.10%	42.90%
Research and development	$ 25	$ 33	$ 52	$ 66
Selling, general and administrative	53	46	101	87
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	78	79	153	153
Operating income (expense)	(52)	(53)	(106)	(108)
EMC Information Infrastructure Plus Pivotal
Revenues:
Product revenues	2,666	2,707	4,988	5,159
Services revenues	1,819	1,724	3,600	3,399
Total consolidated revenues	4,485	4,431	8,588	8,558
Gross profit	$ 2,381	$ 2,480	$ 4,508	$ 4,735
Gross profit percentage	53.10%	55.90%	52.50%	55.30%
Research and development	$ 423	$ 391	$ 874	$ 802
Selling, general and administrative	1,254	1,186	2,472	2,328
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	1,677	1,577	3,346	3,130
Operating income (expense)	704	903	1,162	1,605
Non-operating income (expense), net	18	(84)	4	(164)
Income tax provision	183	209	309	378
Net income	539	610	857	1,063
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interest in VMware, Inc.	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	539	610	857	1,063
VMware Virtual Infrastructure within EMC
Revenues:
Product revenues	635	612	1,218	1,168
Services revenues	953	837	1,880	1,633
Total consolidated revenues	1,588	1,449	3,098	2,801
Gross profit	$ 1,381	$ 1,272	$ 2,692	$ 2,457
Gross profit percentage	87.00%	87.80%	86.90%	87.70%
Research and development	$ 267	$ 246	$ 514	$ 474
Selling, general and administrative	640	602	1,245	1,139
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	907	848	1,759	1,613
Operating income (expense)	474	424	933	844
Non-operating income (expense), net	11	8	20	15
Income tax provision	107	91	196	175
Net income	378	341	757	684
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interest in VMware, Inc.	(72)	(69)	(146)	(138)
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	306	272	611	546
Corp Reconciling Items
Revenues:
Product revenues	(76)	0	(76)	0
Services revenues	0	0	0	0
Total consolidated revenues	(76)	0	(76)	0
Gross profit	$ (175)	(98)	(274)	(191)
Gross profit percentage	0.00%
Research and development	$ 92	103	182	196
Selling, general and administrative	208	222	422	394
Restructuring and acquisition-related charges	23	30	158	149
Total operating expenses	323	355	762	739
Operating income (expense)	(498)	(453)	(1,036)	(930)
Non-operating income (expense), net	(20)	11	(20)	10
Income tax provision	(120)	(113)	(253)	(227)
Net income	(398)	(329)	(803)	(693)
Less: Net income attributable to the non-controlling interest in VMware, Inc.	40	36	74	64
Net income attributable to EMC Corporation	(358)	(293)	(729)	(629)
Information Storage
Revenues:
Product revenues	2,509	2,551	4,688	4,853
Services revenues	1,519	1,425	3,003	2,803
Total consolidated revenues	4,028	3,976	7,691	7,656
Gross profit	$ 2,092	$ 2,192	$ 3,943	$ 4,168
Gross profit percentage	51.90%	55.10%	51.30%	54.40%
Information Intelligence Group
Revenues:
Product revenues	$ 40	$ 37	$ 67	$ 72
Services revenues	115	121	226	240
Total consolidated revenues	155	158	293	312
Gross profit	$ 105	$ 100	$ 195	$ 199
Gross profit percentage	67.80%	63.20%	66.50%	63.90%
RSA Information Security
Revenues:
Product revenues	$ 97	$ 104	$ 197	$ 208
Services revenues	141	139	289	278
Total consolidated revenues	238	243	486	486
Gross profit	$ 158	$ 162	$ 323	$ 323
Gross profit percentage	66.60%	66.70%	66.60%	66.40%