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Shareholder Report
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024
USD ($)
$ / shares
Shareholder Report [Line Items]  
Document Type N-CSR
Amendment Flag false
Registrant Name PUTNAM VARIABLE TRUST
Entity Central Index Key 0000822671
Entity Investment Company Type N-1A
Document Period End Date Dec. 31, 2024
Class IA  
Shareholder Report [Line Items]  
Fund Name Putnam VT Small Cap Growth Fund
Class Name Class IA
No Trading Symbol true
Annual or Semi-Annual Statement [Text Block] This annual shareholder report contains important information about Putnam VT Small Cap Growth Fund for the period January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024.
Shareholder Report Annual or Semi-Annual 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.
Material Fund Change Notice [Text Block]
This report describes changes to the Fund that occurred during the reporting period.
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 YEAR? (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
$98
0.88%
[1],[2]
Expenses Paid, Amount $ 98 [1]
Expense Ratio, Percent 0.88% [1]
Factors Affecting Performance [Text Block]
HOW DID THE FUND PERFORM LAST YEAR AND WHAT AFFECTED ITS PERFORMANCE?
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, Class IA shares of Putnam VT Small Cap Growth Fund returned 23.67%. The Fund compares its performance to the Russell 2000 Growth Index, which returned 15.15% for the same period.  
PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS
Top contributors to performance:
Overweight positions in:
↑
Comfort Systems USA, an HVAC company
↑
Carpenter Technology, a manufacturer of specialty metals
↑
Vertex, a provider of tax compliance software and services
Top detractors from performance:
Overweight positions in:
↓
Cytokinetics, a biopharmaceutical company
↓
Weatherford International, an energy services company
↓
Evolent Health, a provider of specialty care management services
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Line Graph [Table Text Block]
image
Average Annual Return [Table Text Block]
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS (%) Period Ended December 31, 2024
 
1 Year
5 Year
10 Year
Class IA
23.67
13.26
9.91
Russell 3000 Index
23.81
13.86
12.55
Russell 2000 Growth Index
15.15
6.86
8.09
No Deduction of Taxes [Text Block] The graph and table do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or redemption of Fund shares.
Material Change Date Jan. 01, 2024
Updated Performance Information Location [Text Block]
Important data provider notices and terms available at www.franklintempletondatasources.com.
Net Assets $ 34,644,596
Holdings Count | $ / shares 99 [3]
Advisory Fees Paid, Amount $ 180,464
Investment Company Portfolio Turnover 61.00%
Additional Fund Statistics [Text Block]
KEY FUND STATISTICS (as of December 31, 2024)
Total Net Assets
$34,644,596
Total Number of Portfolio Holdings*
99
Total Management Fee Paid
$180,464
Portfolio Turnover Rate
61%
[3]
Holdings [Text Block]
image
 [4]
Material Fund Change [Text Block]
HOW HAS THE FUND CHANGED?
On May 31, 2023, Franklin Resources, Inc. (“Franklin Templeton”) and Great-West Lifeco Inc., the parent company of Putnam U.S. Holdings I, LLC (“Putnam Holdings”), announced that they had entered into a definitive agreement for a subsidiary of Franklin Templeton to acquire Putnam Holdings in a stock and cash transaction (the “Transaction”). The Transaction was completed on January 1, 2024. As part of the Transaction, your Fund’s investment advisor, Putnam Investment Management, LLC (“Putnam Management”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Putnam Holdings, and your Fund’s then-current sub-advisor, Putnam Investments Limited (“PIL”), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Putnam Holdings, became indirect, wholly-owned subsidiaries of Franklin Templeton. In connection with the Transaction, shareholders of your Fund approved a new management contract with Putnam Management and a new sub-advisory contract with PIL. The new contracts were identical to the previous contracts, except for the effective dates, initial terms, updates to fund names as necessary to reflect previous name changes, and certain non-substantive changes.
Effective July 15, 2024, Franklin Advisers, Inc. (“Franklin Advisers”) was retained as a sub-advisor by Putnam Management for the Fund pursuant to a new sub-advisory agreement between Franklin Advisers and Putnam Management. Franklin Advisers is a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Templeton.
Effective November 1, 2024 (the “Effective Date”), PIL, a sub-advisor of the Fund prior to the Effective Date, merged with and into Franklin Templeton Investment Management Limited (“FTIML”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Templeton (the “Merger”). As of the Effective Date, PIL investment professionals became employees of FTIML, and the sub-advisory agreement between Putnam Management and PIL with respect to the Fund was terminated. In connection with the Merger, the Fund’s Trustees approved a new sub-advisory agreement between Putnam Management and FTIML, pursuant to which FTIML became a sub-advisor of the Fund on the Effective Date.
Effective June 30, 2024, the portfolio managers for the Fund are William Monroe and Tania Harsono.
This is a summary of certain changes to the Fund since January 1, 2024. For more complete information, you may review the Fund’s current prospectus and any applicable supplements and the Fund’s next prospectus, which we expect to be available by May 1, 2025, at https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents or upon request at (800) 225-1581 or       
funddocuments@putnam.com.
Updated Prospectus Phone Number (800) 225-1581
Updated Prospectus Email Address funddocuments@putnam.com
Updated Prospectus Web Address https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents
Class IB  
Shareholder Report [Line Items]  
Fund Name Putnam VT Small Cap Growth Fund
Class Name Class IB
No Trading Symbol true
Annual or Semi-Annual Statement [Text Block] This annual shareholder report contains important information about Putnam VT Small Cap Growth Fund for the period January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024.
Shareholder Report Annual or Semi-Annual 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.
Material Fund Change Notice [Text Block]
This report describes changes to the Fund that occurred during the reporting period.
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 YEAR? (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
$126
1.13%
[5],[6]
Expenses Paid, Amount $ 126 [5]
Expense Ratio, Percent 1.13% [5]
Factors Affecting Performance [Text Block]
HOW DID THE FUND PERFORM LAST YEAR AND WHAT AFFECTED ITS PERFORMANCE?
For the twelve months ended December 31, 2024, Class IB shares of Putnam VT Small Cap Growth Fund returned 23.33%. The Fund compares its performance to the Russell 2000 Growth Index, which returned 15.15% for the same period.  
PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS
Top contributors to performance:
Overweight positions in:
↑
Comfort Systems USA, an HVAC company
↑
Carpenter Technology, a manufacturer of specialty metals
↑
Vertex, a provider of tax compliance software and services
Top detractors from performance:
Overweight positions in:
↓
Cytokinetics, a biopharmaceutical company
↓
Weatherford International, an energy services company
↓
Evolent Health, a provider of specialty care management services
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Line Graph [Table Text Block]
image
Average Annual Return [Table Text Block]
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS (%) Period Ended December 31, 2024
 
1 Year
5 Year
10 Year
Class IB
23.33
12.97
9.64
Russell 3000 Index
23.81
13.86
12.55
Russell 2000 Growth Index
15.15
6.86
8.09
No Deduction of Taxes [Text Block] The graph and table do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on Fund distributions or redemption of Fund shares.
Material Change Date Jan. 01, 2024
Updated Performance Information Location [Text Block]
Important data provider notices and terms available at www.franklintempletondatasources.com.
Net Assets $ 34,644,596
Holdings Count | $ / shares 99 [7]
Advisory Fees Paid, Amount $ 180,464
Investment Company Portfolio Turnover 61.00%
Additional Fund Statistics [Text Block]
KEY FUND STATISTICS (as of December 31, 2024)
Total Net Assets
$34,644,596
Total Number of Portfolio Holdings*
99
Total Management Fee Paid
$180,464
Portfolio Turnover Rate
61%
[7]
Holdings [Text Block]
image
 [8]
Material Fund Change [Text Block]
HOW HAS THE FUND CHANGED?
On May 31, 2023, Franklin Resources, Inc. (“Franklin Templeton”) and Great-West Lifeco Inc., the parent company of Putnam U.S. Holdings I, LLC (“Putnam Holdings”), announced that they had entered into a definitive agreement for a subsidiary of Franklin Templeton to acquire Putnam Holdings in a stock and cash transaction (the “Transaction”). The Transaction was completed on January 1, 2024. As part of the Transaction, your Fund’s investment advisor, Putnam Investment Management, LLC (“Putnam Management”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Putnam Holdings, and your Fund’s then-current sub-advisor, Putnam Investments Limited (“PIL”), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Putnam Holdings, became indirect, wholly-owned subsidiaries of Franklin Templeton. In connection with the Transaction, shareholders of your Fund approved a new management contract with Putnam Management and a new sub-advisory contract with PIL. The new contracts were identical to the previous contracts, except for the effective dates, initial terms, updates to fund names as necessary to reflect previous name changes, and certain non-substantive changes.
Effective July 15, 2024, Franklin Advisers, Inc. (“Franklin Advisers”) was retained as a sub-advisor by Putnam Management for the Fund pursuant to a new sub-advisory agreement between Franklin Advisers and Putnam Management. Franklin Advisers is a direct, wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Templeton.
Effective November 1, 2024 (the “Effective Date”), PIL, a sub-advisor of the Fund prior to the Effective Date, merged with and into Franklin Templeton Investment Management Limited (“FTIML”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Franklin Templeton (the “Merger”). As of the Effective Date, PIL investment professionals became employees of FTIML, and the sub-advisory agreement between Putnam Management and PIL with respect to the Fund was terminated. In connection with the Merger, the Fund’s Trustees approved a new sub-advisory agreement between Putnam Management and FTIML, pursuant to which FTIML became a sub-advisor of the Fund on the Effective Date.
Effective June 30, 2024, the portfolio managers for the Fund are William Monroe and Tania Harsono.
This is a summary of certain changes to the Fund since January 1, 2024. For more complete information, you may review the Fund’s current prospectus and any applicable supplements and the Fund’s next prospectus, which we expect to be available by May 1, 2025, at https://www.franklintempleton.com/regulatory-fund-documents or upon request at (800) 225-1581 or       
funddocuments@putnam.com.
Updated Prospectus Phone Number (800) 225-1581
Updated Prospectus Email Address funddocuments@putnam.com
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]
* Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, without which expenses would have been higher.
[3]
* Includes derivatives, if applicable.
[4]
Cash and Equivalents, if any, represent the market value weights of cash, derivatives, short-term securities, and other unclassified assets in the portfolio. 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]
* Reflects fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements, without which expenses would have been higher.
[7]
* Includes derivatives, if applicable.
[8]
Cash and Equivalents, if any, represent the market value weights of cash, derivatives, short-term securities, and other unclassified assets in the portfolio. Holdings and allocations may vary over time.