Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	AB VARIABLE PRODUCTS SERIES FUND, INC.
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	May 01, 2016
Class A Shares | AB International Growth Portfolio
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	AB VPS INTERNATIONAL GROWTH PORTFOLIO
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Portfolio’s investment objective is long-term growth of capital.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE PORTFOLIO
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 Portfolio. The operating expenses information below is designed to assist Contractholders of variable products that invest in the Portfolio in understanding the fees and expenses that they may pay as an investor. Because the information does not reflect deductions at the separate account level or contract level for any charges that may be incurred under a contract, Contractholders that invest in the Portfolio should refer to the variable contract prospectus for a description of fees and expenses that apply to Contractholders. Inclusion of these charges would increase the fees and expenses provided below.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	ANNUAL PORTFOLIO 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 Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys or sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These transaction costs, which are not reflected in the Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses or in the Examples, affect the Portfolio’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 17% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	17.00%
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	EXAMPLES
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The Examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Examples assume that you invest $10,000 in the Portfolio for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Examples also assume that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses stay the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Portfolio invests primarily in an international portfolio of equity securities of companies selected by the Adviser for their growth potential within various market sectors. Examples of the types of market sectors in which the Portfolio may invest include, but are not limited to, information technology (which includes telecommunications), health care, financial services, infrastructure, energy and natural resources, and consumer groups. The Adviser's growth analysts seek to identify companies or industries for which other investors have underestimated earnings potential--for example, some hidden earnings driver (including, but not limited to, reduced competition, market share gain, better margin trend, increased customer base, or similar factors) that would cause a company to grow faster than market forecasts. The Adviser allocates the Portfolio's investments among broad sector groups utilizing the fundamental company research conducted by the Adviser's internal research staff, assessing the current and forecasted investment opportunities and conditions, as well as diversification and risk considerations. The Adviser may vary the percentage allocations among market sectors and may change the market sectors in which the Portfolio invests as companies' potential for growth within a sector matures and new trends for growth emerge. The Portfolio invests, under normal circumstances, in the equity securities of companies located in at least three countries (and normally substantially more) other than the United States. The Portfolio invests in securities of companies in both developed and emerging market countries. Geographic distribution of the Portfolio's investments among countries or regions also will be a product of the stock selection process rather than a pre-determined allocation. The Portfolio may also invest in synthetic foreign equity securities, which are various types of warrants used internationally that entitle a holder to buy or sell underlying securities. The Adviser expects that normally the Portfolio's portfolio will tend to emphasize investments in larger capitalization companies, although the Portfolio may invest in smaller or medium capitalization companies. The Portfolio may, at times, invest in shares of exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, in lieu of making direct investments in equity securities. ETFs may provide more efficient and economical exposure to the type of companies and geographic locations in which the Portfolio seeks to invest than direct investments. Currencies can have a dramatic impact on equity returns, significantly adding to returns in some years and greatly diminishing them in others. Currency and equity positions are evaluated separately. The Adviser may seek to hedge the currency exposure resulting from securities positions when it finds the currency exposure unattractive. To hedge all or a portion of its currency risk, the Portfolio may, from time to time, invest in currency-related derivatives, including forward currency exchange contracts, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, swaps and options. The Adviser may also seek investment opportunities by taking long or short positions in currencies through the use of currency-related derivatives. The Portfolio may enter into other derivatives transactions, such as options, futures contracts, forwards and swaps. The Portfolio may use options strategies involving the purchase and/or writing of various combinations of call and/or put options, including on individual securities and stock indices, futures contracts (including futures contracts on individual securities and stock indices) or shares of ETFs. These transactions may be used, for example, in an effort to earn extra income, to adjust exposure to individual securities or markets, or to protect all or a portion of the Portfolio's portfolio from a decline in value, sometimes within certain ranges.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	PRINCIPAL RISKS
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	MARKET RISK: The value of the Portfolio's assets will fluctuate as the stock or bond market fluctuates. The value of its investments may decline, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, simply because of economic changes or other events that affect large portions of the market. It includes the risk that a particular style of investing, such as growth, may underperform the market generally. FOREIGN (NON-U.S.) RISK: Investments in securities of non-U.S. issuers may involve more risk than those of U.S. issuers. These securities may fluctuate more widely in price and may be less liquid due to adverse market, economic, political, regulatory or other factors. EMERGING MARKET RISK: Investments in emerging market countries may have more risk because the markets are less developed and less liquid, and because these investments may be subject to increased economic, political, regulatory or other uncertainties. CURRENCY RISK: Fluctuations in currency exchange rates may negatively affect the value of the Portfolio's investments or reduce its returns. CAPITALIZATION RISK: Investments in small- and mid-capitalization companies may be more volatile than investments in large-capitalization companies. Investments in small-capitalization companies may have additional risks because these companies have limited product lines, markets or financial resources. DERIVATIVES RISK: Derivatives may be illiquid, difficult to price, and leveraged so that small changes may produce disproportionate losses for the Portfolio, and may be subject to counterparty risk to a greater degree than more traditional investments. LEVERAGE RISK: To the extent the Portfolio uses leveraging techniques, its net asset value, or NAV, may be more volatile because leverage tends to exaggerate the effect of changes in interest rates and any increase or decrease in the value of the Portfolio's investments. MANAGEMENT RISK: The Portfolio is subject to management risk because it is an actively-managed investment fund. The Adviser will apply its investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Portfolio, but there is no guarantee that its techniques will produce the intended results. As with all investments, you may lose money by investing in the Portfolio.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	As with all investments, you may lose money by investing in the Portfolio.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	BAR CHART AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The bar chart and performance information provide an indication of the historical risk of an investment in the Portfolio by showing: how the Portfolio’s performance changed from year to year over ten years; and how the Portfolio’s average annual returns for one, five and ten years compare to those of a broad-based securities market index. The performance information does not take into account separate account charges. If separate account charges were included, an investor’s return would be lower. The Portfolio’s past performance, of course, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	how the Portfolio’s performance changed from year to year over ten years; and how the Portfolio’s average annual returns for one, five and ten years compare to those of a broad-based securities market index.
Performance Additional Market Index [Text]	rr_PerformanceAdditionalMarketIndex	The performance table includes an additional index that shows how the Portfolio's performance compares with an index of the equity market performance of developed markets.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	The Portfolio’s past performance, of course, does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	BAR CHART
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text]	rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads	The performance information does not take into account separate account charges. If separate account charges were included, an investor’s return would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Calendar Year End (%) During the period shown in the bar chart, the Portfolio’s: BEST QUARTER WAS UP 24.51%, 2ND QUARTER, 2009; AND WORST QUARTER WAS DOWN -27.30%, 3RD QUARTER, 2008.
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	PERFORMANCE TABLE AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS (For the periods ended December 31, 2015)
Class A Shares | AB International Growth Portfolio | Class A
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
SHAREHOLDER FEES (fees paid directly from your investment)	rr_ShareholderFeeOther
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.75%
Other Expenses: Transfer Agent	rr_Component1OtherExpensesOverAssets	none	[1]
Other Expenses	rr_Component2OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.36%
Total Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.36%
Total Portfolio Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.11%
After 1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 113
After 3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	353
After 5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	612
After 10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	$ 1,352
2006	rr_AnnualReturn2006	27.04%
2007	rr_AnnualReturn2007	18.13%
2008	rr_AnnualReturn2008	(48.85%)
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	39.58%
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	12.89%
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(15.85%)
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	15.54%
2013	rr_AnnualReturn2013	13.60%
2014	rr_AnnualReturn2014	(1.19%)
2015	rr_AnnualReturn2015	(1.87%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	BEST QUARTER
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	24.51%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	WORST QUARTER
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Sep. 30, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(27.30%)
1 YEAR	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(1.87%)
5 YEARS	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	1.38%
10 YEARS	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	2.62%
Class A Shares | AB International Growth Portfolio | MSCI AC World Index (ex. U.S.) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes except the reinvestment of dividends net of non-U.S. withholding taxes)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 YEAR	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.66%)
5 YEARS	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	1.06%
10 YEARS	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	2.92%
Class A Shares | AB International Growth Portfolio | MSCI World Index (ex. U.S.) (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes except the reinvestment of dividends net of non-U.S. withholding taxes)
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 YEAR	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(3.04%)	[2]
5 YEARS	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	2.79%	[2]
10 YEARS	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	2.92%	[2]

[1] Less than .01%.

[2] The performance table includes an additional index that shows how the Portfolio's performance compares with an index of the equity market performance of developed markets.