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Shareholder Report
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
USD ($)
$ / shares
Shareholder Report [Line Items]  
Document Type N-CSRS
Amendment Flag false
Registrant Name Putnam Variable Trust
Entity Central Index Key 0000822671
Entity Investment Company Type N-1A
Document Period End Date Jun. 30, 2024
Class IA  
Shareholder Report [Line Items]  
Fund Name Putnam VT Government Money Market Fund
Class Name Class IA
No Trading Symbol Flag true
Annual or Semi-Annual Statement [Text Block] This semi-annual shareholder report contains important information about Putnam VT Government Money Market Fund for the period January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024.
Shareholder Report Annual or Semi-Annual semi-annual shareholder report
Additional Information [Text Block] You can find additional information about the Fund at https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents. You can also request this information by contacting us at (800) 225-1581.
Additional Information Phone Number (800) 225-1581
Additional Information Website https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents.
Expenses [Text Block]
WHAT WERE THE FUND COSTS FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS? (based on a hypothetical $10,000 investment)
Class Name
Costs of a $10,000 investment
Costs paid as a percentage of a $10,000 investment†
Class IA1
$22
0.44%
[1],[2]
Expenses Paid, Amount $ 22 [1]
Expense Ratio, Percent 0.44% [1]
Net Assets $ 80,095,044
Holdings Count | $ / shares 18 [3]
Additional Fund Statistics [Text Block]
KEY FUND STATISTICS (as of June 30, 2024)
Total Net Assets
$80,095,044
Total Number of Portfolio Holdings*
18
[3]
Holdings [Text Block]
image
 [4]
Updated Prospectus Web Address https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents
Class IB  
Shareholder Report [Line Items]  
Fund Name Putnam VT Government Money Market Fund
Class Name Class IB
No Trading Symbol Flag true
Annual or Semi-Annual Statement [Text Block] This semi-annual shareholder report contains important information about Putnam VT Government Money Market Fund for the period January 1, 2024, to June 30, 2024.
Shareholder Report Annual or Semi-Annual semi-annual shareholder report
Additional Information [Text Block] You can find additional information about the Fund at https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents. You can also request this information by contacting us at (800) 225-1581.
Additional Information Phone Number (800) 225-1581
Additional Information Website https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents.
Expenses [Text Block]
WHAT WERE THE FUND COSTS FOR THE LAST SIX MONTHS? (based on a hypothetical $10,000 investment)
Class Name
Costs of a $10,000 investment
Costs paid as a percentage of a $10,000 investment†
Class IB1
$35
0.69%
[5],[6]
Expenses Paid, Amount $ 35 [5]
Expense Ratio, Percent 0.69% [5]
Net Assets $ 80,095,044
Holdings Count | $ / shares 18 [7]
Additional Fund Statistics [Text Block]
KEY FUND STATISTICS (as of June 30, 2024)
Total Net Assets
$80,095,044
Total Number of Portfolio Holdings*
18
[7]
Holdings [Text Block]
image
 [8]
Updated Prospectus Web Address https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents
[1]
1 Does not reflect expenses incurred from investing through variable annuity or variable life insurance products.
[2]
† Annualized.
[3]
* Includes derivatives, if applicable.
[4]
Cash and Equivalents, if any, represent the market value weights of cash and other unclassified assets in the portfolio and may show a negative market value percentage as a result of the timing of trade-date and settlement-date transactions. Holdings and allocations may vary over time.
[5]
1 Does not reflect expenses incurred from investing through variable annuity or variable life insurance products.
[6]
† Annualized.
[7]
* Includes derivatives, if applicable.
[8]
Cash and Equivalents, if any, represent the market value weights of cash and other unclassified assets in the portfolio and may show a negative market value percentage as a result of the timing of trade-date and settlement-date transactions. Holdings and allocations may vary over time.