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Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Document Type dei_DocumentType 485BPOS
Document Period End Date dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate Nov. 14, 2011
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName AMERICAN BEACON FUNDS
Central Index Key dei_EntityCentralIndexKey 0000809593
Amendment Flag dei_AmendmentFlag false
Document Creation Date dei_DocumentCreationDate Nov. 14, 2011
Document Effective Date dei_DocumentEffectiveDate Nov. 15, 2011
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Nov. 15, 2011
American Beacon Small Cap Value II Fund
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading American Beacon Small Cap Value II FundSM
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock The Fund’s investment objective is long-term capital appreciation.
Fees and Expenses of the Fund abf809593_FundFeesAndExpensesAbstract  
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and Expenses of the Fund
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_OperatingExpensesAbstract  
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Other Expenses, New Fund, Based on Estimates [Text] rr_OtherExpensesNewFundBasedOnEstimates Expenses are based on estimated expenses expected to be incurred for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2012.
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination March 1, 2013
Example rr_ExpenseExampleAbstract  
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
Portfolio Turnover abf809593_PortfolioTurnoverAltAbstract  
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 higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. Portfolio turnover rate for the Fund’s last fiscal year is not provided because the Fund has not commenced operations prior to the date of this Prospectus.
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Ordinarily, at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets (plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes) are invested in equity securities of small market capitalization companies. These companies have market capitalizations of $3 billion or less at the time of investment. The Fund’s investments may include common stocks, preferred stocks, securities convertible into common stocks, real estate investment trusts, U.S. dollar-denominated foreign securities trading on U.S. exchanges and U.S. dollar-denominated American Depositary Receipts.

The Manager allocates the assets of the Fund among different sub-advisors. The Manager believes that this strategy may help the Fund outperform other investment styles over the longer term while reducing volatility and downside risk.

The sub-advisors select stocks that, in their opinion, have most or all of the following characteristics (relative to the Russell 2000® Index):

above-average earnings growth potential,

below-average price to earnings ratio, and

below-average price to book value ratio.

Each of the sub-advisors determines the earnings growth prospects of companies based upon a combination of internal and external research using fundamental analysis and considering changing economic trends. The sub-advisors typically seek to invest in companies that they believe are undervalued at the time of purchase. The decision to sell a security is typically based on the belief that the company is no longer considered undervalued or shows deteriorating fundamentals, or that better investment opportunities exist.

The Fund may invest cash balances in money market funds and may purchase and sell futures contracts to gain market exposure on cash balances or reduce market exposure in anticipation of liquidity needs.

The Fund may lend its securities to broker-dealers and other institutions to earn additional income.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective and you could lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund is intended to be a long-term investment. The Fund is not a complete investment program and may not be appropriate for all investors. Investors should carefully consider their own investment goals and risk tolerance before investing in the Fund. The principal risks of investing in the Fund are:

Market Risk

Since this Fund invests most of its assets in stocks, it is subject to stock market risk. Market risk involves the possibility that the value of the Fund’s investments in stocks will vary from day to day in response to the activities of individual companies, as well as general market, regulatory, political and economic conditions. From time to time, certain securities held by the Fund may have limited marketability and may be difficult to sell at favorable times or prices. If the Fund is forced to sell such securities to meet redemption requests or other cash needs, the Fund may have to sell them at a loss.

Equity Securities Risk

Equity securities generally are subject to market risk. The Fund’s investments in equity securities may include common stocks, preferred stocks, securities convertible into or exchangeable for common stocks, real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”) and U.S. dollar-denominated foreign stocks trading on U.S. exchanges. Such investments may expose the Fund to additional risks.

Common stock generally is subordinate to preferred stock upon the liquidation or bankruptcy of the issuing company. Preferred stocks and convertible securities are sensitive to movements in interest rates. In addition, convertible securities are subject to the risk that the credit standing of the issuer may have an effect on the convertible securities’ investment value. Investments in ADRs are subject to certain of the risks associated with investing directly in foreign securities. REITs are subject to the risks associated with investing in the real estate industry such as adverse developments affecting the real estate industry and real property values.

Foreign Exposure Risk

The Fund may invest in securities issued by foreign companies through ADRs and U.S. dollar-denominated foreign stocks trading on U.S. exchanges. These securities are subject to many of the risks inherent in investing in foreign securities, including, but not limited to, currency fluctuations and political and financial instability in the home country of a particular ADR or foreign stock.

Futures Contract Risk

There may be an imperfect correlation between the changes in market value of the securities held by the Fund and the prices of futures contracts. There may not be a liquid secondary market for the futures contract. When the Fund purchases or sells a futures contract, it is subject to daily variation margin calls that could be substantial in the event of adverse price movements. If the Fund has insufficient cash to meet daily variation margin requirements, it might need to sell securities at a time when such sales are disadvantageous.

Investment Risk

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. When you sell your shares of the Fund, they could be worth less than what you paid for them.

Market Events

Turbulence in financial markets and reduced liquidity in equity, credit and fixed-income markets may negatively affect many issuers worldwide which may have an adverse effect on the Fund.

Securities Selection Risk

Securities selected by a sub-advisor for the Fund may not perform to expectations. This could result in the Fund’s underperformance compared to other funds with similar investment objectives.

Securities Lending Risk

To the extent the Fund lends its securities, it may be subject to the following risks. Borrowers of the Fund’s securities typically provide collateral in the form of cash that is reinvested in securities. The securities in which the collateral is invested may not perform sufficiently to cover the return collateral payments owed to borrowers. In addition, delays may occur in the recovery of securities from borrowers, which could interfere with the Fund’s ability to vote proxies or to settle transactions.

Small Capitalization Companies Risk

Investments in small-capitalization companies generally involve greater risks and the possibility of greater price volatility than investments in larger capitalization and more established companies, since smaller companies may have limited operating history, product lines, and managerial and financial resources than larger, more established companies. The securities of small-cap companies may lack sufficient market liquidity and they can be particularly sensitive to expected changes in interest rates, borrowing costs and earnings.

Value Stocks Risk

Value stocks are subject to the risk that their intrinsic value may never be realized by the market or that their prices may go down. A value approach could also result in fewer securities that increase rapidly during times of market gains. Different investment styles tend to shift in and out of favor, depending on market conditions and investor sentiment. The Fund’s value style could cause the Fund to underperform funds that use a growth or non-value approach to investing or have a broader investment style.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective and you could lose money by investing in the Fund.
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.
Fund Performance abf809593_FundPastPerformanceAbstract  
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Fund Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock Performance information for the Fund is not provided because the Fund has not commenced operations prior to the date of this Prospectus.
Performance One Year or Less [Text] rr_PerformanceOneYearOrLess Performance information for the Fund is not provided because the Fund has not commenced operations prior to the date of this Prospectus.
American Beacon Small Cap Value II Fund | Y
  
Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_OperatingExpensesAbstract  
Operating Expenses Column [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesColumnName Y
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.63%
Distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.89% [1]
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.52%
Expense Waiver and Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 0.43%
Total fund operating expenses after expense waiver and reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.09% [2]
Example rr_ExpenseExampleAbstract  
Share classes rr_ExpenseExampleByYearColumnName Y
1 year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 111
3 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 438
American Beacon Small Cap Value II Fund | Investor
  
Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_OperatingExpensesAbstract  
Operating Expenses Column [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesColumnName Investor
Management fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.63%
Distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 1.17% [1]
Total annual fund operating expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.80%
Expense Waiver and Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets 0.43%
Total fund operating expenses after expense waiver and reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.37% [2]
Example rr_ExpenseExampleAbstract  
Share classes rr_ExpenseExampleByYearColumnName Investor
1 year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 139
3 years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 525
[1] Expenses are based on estimated expenses expected to be incurred for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2012.
[2] The Manager has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse the Y Class and Investor Class of the Fund for Other Expenses, as applicable, through March 1, 2013 to the extent that Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses exceed 1.09% for the Y Class, and 1.37% for the Investor Class. The contractual expense arrangement can be changed by approval of a majority of the Fund's Board of Trustees. The Manager can be reimbursed by the Fund for any contractual or voluntary fee reductions or expense reimbursements if reimbursement to the Manager (a) occurs within three years after the Manager's own reduction or reimbursement and (b) does not cause the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses of a class to exceed the percentage limit contractually agreed.