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Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Document Type dei_DocumentType 485BPOS
Document Period End Date dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate Oct. 31, 2011
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName FRANKLIN INVESTORS SECURITIES TRUST
Central Index Key dei_EntityCentralIndexKey 0000809707
Amendment Flag dei_AmendmentFlag false
Document Creation Date dei_DocumentCreationDate Sep. 27, 2012
Document Effective Date dei_DocumentEffectiveDate Oct. 01, 2012
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate Oct. 01, 2012
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading Fund Summary
Franklin Low Duration Total Return Fund
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading Investment Goal
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock A high level of current income as is consistent with prudent investing, while seeking preservation of capital.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading Fees and Expenses of the Fund
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in Franklin Templeton funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and under “Your Account” on page 107 in the Fund's Prospectus and under “Buying and Selling Shares” on page 70 of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
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)

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. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 75.51% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 75.51%
Expense Breakpoint Discounts [Text] rr_ExpenseBreakpointDiscounts You may qualify for sales charge discounts in Class A if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $100,000 in Franklin Templeton funds.
Expense Breakpoint, Minimum Investment Required [Amount] rr_ExpenseBreakpointMinimumInvestmentRequiredAmount 100,000
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 the period. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. The Example reflects adjustments made to the Fund's operating expenses due to the fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement by the investment manager and/or administrator for the 1 Year numbers only. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Expense Example, No Redemption, By Year, Caption [Text] rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionByYearCaption If you do not sell your shares:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests primarily in investment grade debt securities and investments, including government and corporate debt securities, mortgage- and asset-backed securities, investment grade corporate loans, municipal securities and futures with reference securities that are investment grade, targeting an estimated average portfolio duration of three (3) years or less. Duration is a measure of the expected price volatility of a debt instrument as a result of changes in market rates of interest, based on the weighted average timing of the instrument’s expected principal and interest payments and other factors.

The Fund may also invest up to 20% of its total assets in non-investment grade debt securities, including up to 5% in securities rated lower than B by S&P or Moody’s, which may include defaulted securities. The Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in foreign securities, including up to 20% of its total assets in non-U.S. dollar denominated securities and up to 10% of its total assets in emerging market securities. The Fund's focus on the credit quality of its portfolio is intended to reduce credit risk and help to preserve the Fund's capital.

Mortgage-backed securities represent an interest in a pool of mortgage loans made by banks and other financial institutions to finance purchases of homes, commercial buildings and other real estate. The individual mortgage loans are packaged or "pooled" together for sale to investors. As the underlying mortgage loans are paid off, investors receive principal and interest payments. These securities may be fixed-rate or adjustable-rate mortgage-backed securities (ARMS). The Fund may also invest a small portion of its assets directly in mortgage loans. Many of the mortgage-backed securities in which the Fund invests are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, such as Ginnie Mae and U.S. government-sponsored entities, such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; others are issued by private entities.

To pursue its investment goals, the Fund regularly enters into various derivative transactions, including currency and cross-currency forwards, currency, currency index, bond and interest rate futures contracts and options on interest rate futures contracts, and swap agreements, including interest rate, currency and credit default swaps, and options on interest rate and credit default swap agreements. The use of these derivative transactions may allow the Fund to obtain net long or short exposures to select currencies, interest rates, countries, duration or credit risks. These derivatives may be used to enhance Fund returns, increase liquidity, gain exposure to certain instruments or markets in a more efficient or less expensive way and/or hedge risks associated with its other portfolio investments.

In choosing investments, the Fund’s investment manager selects securities in various market sectors based on the investment manager’s assessment of changing economic, market, industry and issuer conditions. The investment manager uses a “top-down” analysis of macroeconomic trends, combined with a “bottom-up” fundamental analysis of market sectors, industries and issuers, to try to take advantage of varying sector reactions to economic events.

Strategy Portfolio Concentration [Text] rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests primarily in investment grade debt securities and investments, including government and corporate debt securities, mortgage- and asset-backed securities, investment grade corporate loans, municipal securities and futures with reference securities that are investment grade, targeting an estimated average portfolio duration of three (3) years or less.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Mutual fund shares are not deposits or obligations of, or guaranteed or endorsed by, any bank, and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, or any other agency of the U.S. government.

Interest Rate

When interest rates rise, debt security prices generally fall. The opposite is also generally true: debt security prices rise when interest rates fall. In general, securities with longer maturities are more sensitive to these interest rate changes.

Credit

An issuer of debt securities may fail to make interest payments and repay principal when due, in whole or in part. Changes in an issuer's financial strength or in a security's credit rating may affect a security's value.

Income

Because the Fund can only distribute what it earns, the Fund's distributions to shareholders may decline when prevailing interest rates fall or when the Fund experiences defaults on debt securities it holds.

High-Yield Debt Securities

Issuers of lower-rated or "high-yield" debt securities are not as strong financially as those issuing higher credit quality debt securities. These issuers are more likely to encounter financial difficulties and are more vulnerable to changes in the relevant economy, such as a recession or a sustained period of rising interest rates, that could affect their ability to make interest and principal payments when due. The prices of high-yield debt securities generally fluctuate more than those of higher credit quality. High-yield debt securities are generally more illiquid (harder to sell) and harder to value.

Derivative Instruments

The performance of derivative instruments (including currency and credit related derivatives) depends largely on the performance of an underlying currency, security or index and such derivatives often have risks similar to their underlying instrument, in addition to other risks. Derivatives involve costs and can create economic leverage in the Fund's portfolio which may result in significant volatility and cause the Fund to participate in losses (as well as enable gains) in an amount that exceeds the Fund's initial investment. Other risks include illiquidity, mispricing or improper valuation of the derivative instrument, and imperfect correlation between the value of the derivative and the underlying instrument so that the Fund may not realize the intended benefits. When used for hedging, the change in value of the derivative may also not correlate specifically with the currency, security or other risk being hedged. With over-the-counter derivatives, there is the risk that the other party to the transaction will fail to perform.

Mortgage-Backed Securities

Mortgage-backed securities differ from conventional debt securities because principal is paid back periodically over the life of the security rather than at maturity. The Fund may receive unscheduled prepayments of principal due to voluntary prepayments, refinancings or foreclosures on the underlying mortgage loans. Because of repayments, mortgage-backed securities may be less effective than some other types of debt securities as a means of "locking in" long-term interest rates and may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of falling interest rates. A reduction in the anticipated rate of principal prepayments, especially during periods of rising interest rates, may increase or extend the effective maturity of mortgage-backed securities, making them more sensitive to interest rate changes, subject to greater price volatility, and more susceptible than some other debt securities to a decline in market value when interest rates rise.

Foreign Securities

Investing in foreign securities typically involves more risks than investing in U.S. securities, including risks related to currency exchange rates and policies, country or government specific issues, less favorable trading practices or regulation and greater price volatility. Certain of these risks also may apply to securities of U.S. companies with significant foreign operations. The risks of investing in foreign securities are typically greater in less developed or emerging market countries.

Currency Management Strategies

Currency management strategies may substantially change the Fund’s exposure to currency exchange rates and could result in losses to the Fund if currencies do not perform as the investment manager expects. In addition, currency management strategies, to the extent that they reduce the Fund’s exposure to currency risks, may also reduce the Fund’s ability to benefit from favorable changes in currency exchange rates. Using currency management strategies for purposes other than hedging further increases the Fund’s exposure to foreign investment losses. Currency markets generally are not as regulated as securities markets. In addition, currency rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time, and can reduce returns.

Prepayment

Prepayment risk occurs when a debt security can be repaid in whole or in part prior to the security's maturity and the Fund must reinvest the proceeds it receives, during periods of declining interest rates, in securities that pay a lower rate of interest.

Market

The market values of securities owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. A security’s market value may be reduced by market activity or other results of supply and demand unrelated to the issuer. This is a basic risk associated with all securities. When there are more sellers than buyers, prices tend to fall. Likewise, when there are more buyers than sellers, prices tend to rise.

Management

The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Fund's investment manager applies investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these decisions will produce the desired results.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Class A shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. You can obtain updated performance information at franklintempleton.com or by calling (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236.

Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year for Class A shares. The table shows how the Fund's average annual returns for 1 year, 5 years, 10 years or since inception, as applicable, compared with those of a broad measure of market performance.
Performance Availability Phone [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone (800) DIAL BEN/342-5236
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress franklintempleton.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading CLASS A ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads Sales charges are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would be less than those shown.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
Best Quarter:Q3'092.87%
Worst Quarter:Q3'11-1.94%
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS
(figures reflect sales charges)

For the periods ended December 31, 2011

Performance Table Closing [Text Block] rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

Historical performance for Class C and Advisor Class shares prior to their inception is based on the performance of Class A shares. Class C and Advisor Class performance has been adjusted to reflect differences in sales charges and 12b-1 expenses (with respect to Class C only) between classes.

The after-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts. After-tax returns are shown only for Class A and after-tax returns for other classes will vary.

Franklin Low Duration Total Return Fund | Barclays U.S. Government/Credit Index: 1-3 Year Component
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.59%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 3.99%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.65%
Franklin Low Duration Total Return Fund | Class A
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Cumulative Sales Charge (as a percentage of Offering Price) rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice 2.25%
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (as a percentage of Offering Price) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Management Fees (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.42%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses (as a percentage of Assets): rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.37%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.01% [1]
Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.05%
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.24%) [2]
Net Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.81% [1],[2]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 306
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 528
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 769
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,458
Annual Return 2005 rr_AnnualReturn2005 1.26%
Annual Return 2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 4.26%
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 5.86%
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 2.32%
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 8.24%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 4.79%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 0.60%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 2.87%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (1.94%)
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Return Before Taxes
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (1.69%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 3.84%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.47%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 17, 2004
Franklin Low Duration Total Return Fund | Class A | After Taxes on Distributions
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (2.73%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 2.53%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 2.18%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 17, 2004
Franklin Low Duration Total Return Fund | Class A | After Taxes on Distributions and Sales
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (1.09%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 2.51%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 2.20%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 17, 2004
Franklin Low Duration Total Return Fund | Class C
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Cumulative Sales Charge (as a percentage of Offering Price) rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (as a percentage of Offering Price) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice 1.00%
Management Fees (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.42%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.65%
Other Expenses (as a percentage of Assets): rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.37%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.01% [1]
Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.45%
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.24%) [2]
Net Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.21% [1],[2]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 223
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 435
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 769
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,715
Expense Example, No Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear01 123
Expense Example, No Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear03 435
Expense Example, No Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear05 769
Expense Example, No Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleNoRedemptionYear10 1,715
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.20%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 3.82%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.31% [3]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 17, 2004
Franklin Low Duration Total Return Fund | Advisor Class
 
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Maximum Cumulative Sales Charge (as a percentage of Offering Price) rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (as a percentage of Offering Price) rr_MaximumDeferredSalesChargeOverOfferingPrice none
Management Fees (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.42%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses (as a percentage of Assets): rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.37%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.01% [1]
Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.80%
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.24%) [2]
Net Expenses (as a percentage of Assets) rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.56% [1],[2]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 57
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 231
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 421
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 968
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.82%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 4.54%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.96% [4]
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Nov. 17, 2004
[1] Total annual Fund operating expenses differ from the ratio of expenses to average net assets shown in the Financial Highlights, which reflect the operating expenses of the Fund and do not include acquired fund fees and expenses.
[2] The investment manager and administrator have contractually agreed to waive or assume certain expenses so that common expenses (excluding the Rule 12b-1 fees and acquired fund fees and expenses) for each class of the Fund do not exceed 0.65% (other than certain non-routine expenses), until February 28, 2013. Effective October 1, 2012, the investment manager and fund administrator will lower this contractual common expense cap from 0.65% to 0.55%. The table reflects the cap after the change on October 1, 2012. The investment manager also has agreed in advance to reduce its fees as a result of the Fund's investment in a Franklin Templeton money fund (acquired fund) for at least the next 12-month period.
[3] The Fund began offering Class C shares on October 1, 2012.
[4] The Fund began offering Advisor Class shares on May 15, 2008.