Label	Element	Value
Schwab Health Care Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	Schwab® Health Care Fund
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The fund seeks long-term capital growth.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fund Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.
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 % 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 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 the 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 73% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	73.00%
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 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 time periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The figures are based on total annual fund operating expenses after any expense reduction. Your actual costs may be higher or lower.
Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]	rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption	Expenses on a $10,000 Investment
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	To pursue its goal, the fund primarily invests in equity securities issued by companies in the health care sector. The health care sector may include, for example, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, health care facilities operations, medical product manufacturers and suppliers, medical providers and medical services firms. It is the fund’s policy that under normal circumstances it will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including, for this purpose, any borrowings for investment purposes) in these securities; typically, the actual percentage will be higher. The fund will notify its shareholders at least 60 days before changing this policy. The fund will concentrate its investments in securities of companies in the health care sector. The fund primarily invests in U.S. companies, but may invest up to 25% of its net assets in the stocks of publicly traded companies located in countries other than the United States. The fund’s international investments will primarily be in stocks issued by companies located in developed market countries; however, it may also invest in stocks issued by companies located in emerging markets. Developed market countries include, but are not limited to, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The fund considers any country that is not a developed market country to be an emerging market country. The fund generally does not intend to hedge its exposure to foreign currencies. The fund may invest in companies of all sizes. The fund actively selects portfolio securities. To aid its U.S. stock selection, the fund uses Schwab Equity Ratings®, a model that assigns ratings to approximately 3,000 of the largest (by market cap) U.S.-traded stocks. To aid its international stock selection, the fund uses Schwab Equity Ratings International®, a model that ranks stocks of foreign companies headquartered and trading in certain foreign countries. In addition to using Schwab Equity Ratings and Schwab Equity Ratings International, the portfolio managers utilize investment data and other analytics to help manage the fund’s portfolio. Generally, when constructing the portfolio, the portfolio managers invest in stocks that are highly rated by Schwab Equity Ratings or by Schwab Equity Ratings International. As part of the portfolio construction process, the portfolio managers will also purchase lower-rated stocks or stocks that are not rated by Schwab Equity Ratings or by Schwab Equity Ratings International, such as for purposes of diversification, or for managing the fund’s liquidity, turnover, or volatility relative to the Index. This investment approach under normal conditions will result in a portfolio that maintains an overall weighting toward highly-rated stocks; however, the portfolio will usually include lower-rated stocks and stocks that are not rated by Schwab Equity Ratings or Schwab Equity Ratings International. The portfolio managers will consider the current market environment and any potential negative impact on the fund in determining when to sell a downgraded stock. The fund uses a portfolio optimization process to assist in constructing the portfolio. The portfolio managers use the portfolio optimization process to seek to build a portfolio they believe will provide the optimal balance between risk and expected return, subject to parameters such as the number of stocks desired in the portfolio, the level of portfolio turnover, industry diversification, and volatility considerations. For more information on Schwab Equity Ratings and Schwab Equity Ratings International, please see the “More About Schwab’s Research” section in the prospectus. The fund may invest in derivatives, principally futures contracts, primarily to seek returns on the fund’s otherwise uninvested cash assets. A futures contract is a contract to buy or sell a specific financial instrument at a specified price at a specific future time. By using these instruments, the fund potentially can offset the impact on its performance of keeping some assets in cash. The fund may invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and stocks of real estate investment trusts (REITs). The fund may also invest in depository receipts evidencing ownership of shares of foreign issuers, including American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), and European Depositary Receipts (EDRs). The fund also may lend portfolio securities to earn additional income. Any income realized through securities lending may help fund performance. For temporary defensive purposes during unusual economic or market conditions or for liquidity purposes, the fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash, money market instruments, repurchase agreements and other short-term obligations. The fund also may invest in these types of securities or hold cash while looking for suitable investment opportunities. When the fund engages in such activities, it may not achieve its investment objective.
Strategy Portfolio Concentration [Text]	rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration	To pursue its goal, the fund primarily invests in equity securities issued by companies in the health care sector. The health care sector may include, for example, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, health care facilities operations, medical product manufacturers and suppliers, medical providers and medical services firms. It is the fund’s policy that under normal circumstances it will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including, for this purpose, any borrowings for investment purposes) in these securities; typically, the actual percentage will be higher. The fund will notify its shareholders at least 60 days before changing this policy. The fund will concentrate its investments in securities of companies in the health care sector.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	The fund is subject to risks, any of which could cause an investor to lose money. The fund’s principal risks include: Market Risk. Financial markets rise and fall in response to a variety of factors, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Markets may be impacted by economic, political, regulatory and other conditions, including economic sanctions and other government actions. In addition, the occurrence of global events, such as war, terrorism, environmental disasters, natural disasters and epidemics, may also negatively affect the financial markets. As with any investment whose performance is tied to these markets, the value of an investment in the fund will fluctuate, which means that an investor could lose money over short or long periods. Management Risk. The fund’s investment adviser makes investment decisions for the fund using a strategy based largely on historical information. There is no guarantee that a strategy based on historical information will produce the desired results in the future. In addition, the portfolio optimization process used by the fund to assist in constructing the fund’s portfolio does not assure successful investment. Securities selected with the assistance of the process may be negatively impacted by factors or events not foreseen in developing the process. As a result, the fund may have a lower return than if it were managed using another process or strategy. Equity Risk. The prices of equity securities rise and fall daily. These price movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, industries or the securities market as a whole. In addition, equity markets tend to move in cycles, which may cause stock prices to fall over short or extended periods of time. Concentration Risk. Because the fund’s investments are concentrated in issuers doing business in the same sector, the companies in which the fund invests will be affected by many of the same factors, such as legislative or regulatory changes, intense competition for market share and other competitive challenges. In addition, stocks of health care companies may underperform other segments of the equity market or stock market as a whole and are likely to have above-average volatility. Foreign Investment Risk. The fund’s investments in securities of foreign issuers involve certain risks that may be greater than those associated with investments in securities of U.S. issuers. These include risks of adverse changes in foreign economic, political, regulatory and other conditions; changes in currency exchange rates or exchange control regulations (including limitations on currency movements and exchanges); the imposition of economic sanctions or other government restrictions; differing accounting, auditing, financial reporting and legal standards and practices; differing securities market structures; and higher transaction costs. These risks may negatively impact the value or liquidity of the fund’s investments, and could impair the fund’s ability to meet its investment objective or invest in accordance with its investment strategy. There is a risk that investments in securities denominated in, and/or receiving revenues in, foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Foreign securities also include ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, which may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market and GDRs, many of which are issued by companies in emerging markets, may be more volatile. To the extent the fund’s investments in a single country or a limited number of countries represent a large percentage of the fund’s assets, the fund’s performance may be adversely affected by the economic, political, regulatory and social conditions in those countries, and the fund’s price may be more volatile than the price of a fund that is geographically diversified. Emerging Markets Risk. Emerging market countries may be more likely to experience political turmoil or rapid changes in market or economic conditions than more developed countries. Emerging market countries often have less uniformity in accounting, auditing, financial reporting and recordkeeping requirements and greater risk associated with the custody of securities. In addition, the financial stability of issuers (including governments) in emerging market countries may be more precarious than in developed countries. As a result, there may be an increased risk of illiquidity and price volatility associated with the fund’s investments in emerging market countries, which may be magnified by currency fluctuations relative to the U.S. dollar, and, at times, it may be difficult to value such investments. Market Capitalization Risk. Securities issued by companies of different market capitalizations tend to go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions. During a period when securities of a particular market capitalization fall behind other types of investments, the fund’s performance could be impacted. Derivatives Risk. The fund’s use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. The fund’s use of derivatives could reduce the fund’s performance, increase the fund’s volatility, and could cause the fund to lose more than the initial amount invested. In addition, investments in derivatives may involve leverage, which means a small percentage of assets invested in derivatives can have a disproportionately large impact on the fund. ETF Risk. When the fund invests in an ETF, it will bear a proportionate share of the ETF’s expenses. In addition, lack of liquidity in the market for an ETF’s shares can result in its value being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities. Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in, or delay in recovery of, the loaned securities if the borrower fails to return the security loaned or becomes insolvent. REITs Risk. The fund’s investments in REITs will be subject to the risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate, including fluctuations in the value of underlying properties, defaults by borrowers or tenants, changes in interest rates and risks related to general or local economic conditions. REITs are also subject to certain additional risks, for example, REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills and cash flows, and may have their investments in relatively few properties, a small geographic area or a single property type. Failure of a company to qualify as a REIT under federal tax law may have adverse consequences on the fund. In addition, REITs have their own expenses, and the fund will bear a proportionate share of those expenses. Liquidity Risk. The fund may be unable to sell certain securities, such as illiquid securities, readily at a favorable time or price, or the fund may have to sell them at a loss. Portfolio Turnover Risk. The fund buys and sells portfolio securities actively. This may cause the fund’s portfolio turnover rate and transaction costs to rise, which may lower the fund’s performance and may increase the likelihood of capital gains distributions. For more information on the risks of investing in the fund, please see the “Fund Details” section in the prospectus.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	The fund is subject to risks, any of which could cause an investor to lose money.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The bar chart below shows how the fund’s investment results have varied from year to year, and the following table shows how the fund’s average annual total returns for various periods compared to that of two indices. This information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the fund. All figures assume distributions were reinvested. Keep in mind that future performance (both before and after taxes) may differ from past performance. For current performance information, please see www.schwabfunds.com/schwabfunds_prospectus.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The bar chart below shows how the fund’s investment results have varied from year to year, and the following table shows how the fund’s average annual total returns for various periods compared to that of two indices.
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	www.schwabfunds.com/schwabfunds_prospectus
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	Keep in mind that future performance (both before and after taxes) may differ from past performance.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Annual Total Returns (%) as of 12/31
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	Best Quarter: 16.01% Q1 2013 Worst Quarter: (12.09%) Q1 2020
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2013
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	16.01%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2020
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(12.09%)
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns as of 12/31/20
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	The after-tax figures reflect the highest individual federal income tax rates in effect during the period and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	Your actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. In addition, after-tax returns are not relevant if you hold your fund shares through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan, an individual retirement account (IRA) or other tax-advantaged account.
Performance Table Closing [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock	The after-tax figures reflect the highest individual federal income tax rates in effect during the period and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. In addition, after-tax returns are not relevant if you hold your fund shares through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan, an individual retirement account (IRA) or other tax-advantaged account.
Schwab Health Care Fund \| Comparative Indices (reflect no deduction for expenses or taxes) Dow Jones Global Health Care Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	16.05%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	10.97%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	14.01%
Schwab Health Care Fund \| Comparative Indices (reflect no deduction for expenses or taxes) S&P 500 Index
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	18.40%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	15.22%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	13.88%
Schwab Health Care Fund \| Schwab Health Care Fund
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)	rr_ShareholderFeeOther	none
Management fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.53%
Distribution (12b-1) fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.27%
Total annual fund operating expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.80%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 82
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	255
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	444
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	$ 990
Annual Return 2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	11.53%
Annual Return 2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	19.21%
Annual Return 2013	rr_AnnualReturn2013	39.95%
Annual Return 2014	rr_AnnualReturn2014	21.50%
Annual Return 2015	rr_AnnualReturn2015	8.42%
Annual Return 2016	rr_AnnualReturn2016	(4.35%)
Annual Return 2017	rr_AnnualReturn2017	20.20%
Annual Return 2018	rr_AnnualReturn2018	3.98%
Annual Return 2019	rr_AnnualReturn2019	17.64%
Annual Return 2020	rr_AnnualReturn2020	12.86%
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	12.86%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	9.68%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	14.55%
Schwab Health Care Fund \| Schwab Health Care Fund \| After Taxes on Distributions
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	10.05%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.94%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.24%
Schwab Health Care Fund \| Schwab Health Care Fund \| After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	9.55%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	7.43%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.54%

Label

Element

Value

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Risk/Return [Heading]

rr_RiskReturnHeading

Schwab® Health Care Fund

Objective [Heading]

rr_ObjectiveHeading

Investment Objective

Objective, Primary [Text Block]

rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The fund seeks long-term capital growth.

Expense [Heading]

rr_ExpenseHeading

Fund Fees and Expenses

Expense Narrative [Text Block]

rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold and sell shares of the fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and Example below.

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 % 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 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 the 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 73% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate

rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate

73.00%

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 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 time periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The figures are based on total annual fund operating expenses after any expense reduction. Your actual costs may be higher or lower.

Expense Example by, Year, Caption [Text]

rr_ExpenseExampleByYearCaption

Expenses on a $10,000 Investment

Strategy [Heading]

rr_StrategyHeading

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategy Narrative [Text Block]

rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

firms. It is the fund’s policy that under normal circumstances it will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including, for this purpose, any borrowings for investment purposes) in these securities; typically, the actual percentage will be higher. The fund will notify its shareholders at least 60 days before changing this policy. The fund will concentrate its investments in securities of companies in the health care sector.

The fund primarily invests in U.S. companies, but may invest up to 25% of its net assets in the stocks of publicly traded companies located in countries other than the United States. The fund’s international investments will primarily be in stocks issued by companies located in developed market countries; however, it may also invest in stocks issued by companies located in emerging markets. Developed market countries include, but are not limited to, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The fund considers any country that is not a developed market country to be an emerging market country. The fund generally does not intend to hedge its exposure to foreign currencies. The fund may invest in companies of all sizes.

The fund actively selects portfolio securities. To aid its U.S. stock selection, the fund uses Schwab Equity Ratings®, a model that assigns ratings to approximately 3,000 of the largest (by market cap) U.S.-traded stocks. To aid its international stock selection, the fund uses Schwab Equity Ratings International®, a model that ranks stocks of foreign companies headquartered and trading in certain foreign countries. In addition to using Schwab Equity Ratings and Schwab Equity Ratings International, the portfolio managers utilize investment data and other analytics to help manage the fund’s portfolio.

Generally, when constructing the portfolio, the portfolio managers invest in stocks that are highly rated by Schwab Equity Ratings or by Schwab Equity Ratings International. As part of the portfolio construction process, the portfolio managers will also purchase lower-rated stocks or stocks that are not rated by Schwab Equity Ratings or by Schwab Equity Ratings International, such as for purposes of diversification, or for managing the fund’s liquidity, turnover, or volatility relative to the Index. This investment approach under normal conditions will result in a portfolio that maintains an overall weighting toward highly-rated stocks; however, the portfolio will usually include lower-rated stocks and stocks that are not rated by Schwab Equity Ratings or Schwab Equity Ratings International. The portfolio managers will consider the current market environment and any potential negative impact on the fund in determining when to sell a downgraded stock.

The fund uses a portfolio optimization process to assist in constructing the portfolio. The portfolio managers use the portfolio optimization process to seek to build a portfolio they believe will

provide the optimal balance between risk and expected return, subject to parameters such as the number of stocks desired in the portfolio, the level of portfolio turnover, industry diversification, and volatility considerations.

For more information on Schwab Equity Ratings and Schwab Equity Ratings International, please see the “More About Schwab’s Research” section in the prospectus.

The fund may invest in derivatives, principally futures contracts, primarily to seek returns on the fund’s otherwise uninvested cash assets. A futures contract is a contract to buy or sell a specific financial instrument at a specified price at a specific future time. By using these instruments, the fund potentially can offset the impact on its performance of keeping some assets in cash. The fund may invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and stocks of real estate investment trusts (REITs). The fund may also invest in depository receipts evidencing ownership of shares of foreign issuers, including American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs), and European Depositary Receipts (EDRs). The fund also may lend portfolio securities to earn additional income. Any income realized through securities lending may help fund performance.

For temporary defensive purposes during unusual economic or market conditions or for liquidity purposes, the fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash, money market instruments, repurchase agreements and other short-term obligations. The fund also may invest in these types of securities or hold cash while looking for suitable investment opportunities. When the fund engages in such activities, it may not achieve its investment objective.

Strategy Portfolio Concentration [Text]

rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration

To pursue its goal, the fund primarily invests in equity securities issued by companies in the health care sector. The health care sector may include, for example, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, health care facilities operations, medical product manufacturers and suppliers, medical providers and medical services firms. It is the fund’s policy that under normal circumstances it will invest at least 80% of its net assets (including, for this purpose, any borrowings for investment purposes) in these securities; typically, the actual percentage will be higher. The fund will notify its shareholders at least 60 days before changing this policy. The fund will concentrate its investments in securities of companies in the health care sector.

Risk [Heading]

rr_RiskHeading

Principal Risks

Risk Narrative [Text Block]

rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The fund is subject to risks, any of which could cause an investor to lose money. The fund’s principal risks include:

Market Risk. Financial markets rise and fall in response to a variety of factors, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably. Markets may be impacted by economic, political, regulatory and other conditions, including economic sanctions and other government actions. In addition, the occurrence of global events, such as war, terrorism, environmental disasters, natural disasters and epidemics, may also negatively affect the financial markets. As with any investment whose performance is tied to these markets, the value of an investment in the fund will fluctuate, which means that an investor could lose money over short or long periods.

Management Risk. The fund’s investment adviser makes investment decisions for the fund using a strategy based largely on historical information. There is no guarantee that a strategy based on historical information will produce the desired results in the future. In addition, the portfolio optimization process used by the fund to assist in constructing the fund’s portfolio does not assure successful investment. Securities selected with the assistance of the process may be negatively impacted by factors or events not foreseen in developing the process. As a result, the fund may have a lower return than if it were managed using another process or strategy.

Equity Risk. The prices of equity securities rise and fall daily. These price movements may result from factors affecting individual companies, industries or the securities market as a whole. In addition, equity markets tend to move in cycles, which may cause stock prices to fall over short or extended periods of time.

Concentration Risk. Because the fund’s investments are concentrated in issuers doing business in the same sector, the companies in which the fund invests will be affected by many of the same factors, such as legislative or regulatory changes, intense competition for market share and other competitive challenges. In addition, stocks of health care companies may underperform other segments of the equity market or stock market as a whole and are likely to have above-average volatility.

Foreign Investment Risk. The fund’s investments in securities of foreign issuers involve certain risks that may be greater than those associated with investments in securities of U.S. issuers. These include risks of adverse changes in foreign economic, political, regulatory and other conditions; changes in currency exchange rates or exchange control regulations (including limitations on currency movements and exchanges); the imposition of economic sanctions or other government restrictions; differing accounting, auditing, financial reporting and legal standards and practices; differing securities market structures; and higher transaction costs. These risks may negatively impact the value or liquidity of the fund’s investments, and could impair the fund’s ability to meet its investment objective or invest in accordance with its investment strategy. There is a risk that investments in securities denominated in, and/or receiving revenues in, foreign currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar. Foreign securities also include ADRs, GDRs and EDRs, which may be less liquid than the underlying shares in their primary trading market and GDRs, many of which are issued by companies in emerging markets, may be more volatile. To the extent the fund’s investments in a single country or a limited number of countries represent a large percentage of the fund’s assets, the fund’s performance may be adversely affected by the economic, political, regulatory and social conditions in those countries, and the fund’s price may be more volatile than the price of a fund that is geographically diversified.

Emerging Markets Risk. Emerging market countries may be more likely to experience political turmoil or rapid changes in market or economic conditions than more developed countries. Emerging market countries often have less uniformity in accounting, auditing, financial reporting and recordkeeping requirements and greater risk associated with the custody of securities. In addition, the financial stability of issuers (including governments) in emerging market countries may be more precarious than in developed countries. As a result, there may be an increased risk of illiquidity and price volatility associated with the fund’s investments in emerging market countries, which may be magnified by currency fluctuations relative to the U.S. dollar, and, at times, it may be difficult to value such investments.

Market Capitalization Risk. Securities issued by companies of different market capitalizations tend to go in and out of favor based on market and economic conditions. During a period when

securities of a particular market capitalization fall behind other types of investments, the fund’s performance could be impacted.

Derivatives Risk. The fund’s use of derivative instruments involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in securities and other traditional investments. The fund’s use of derivatives could reduce the fund’s performance, increase the fund’s volatility, and could cause the fund to lose more than the initial amount invested. In addition, investments in derivatives may involve leverage, which means a small percentage of assets invested in derivatives can have a disproportionately large impact on the fund.

ETF Risk. When the fund invests in an ETF, it will bear a proportionate share of the ETF’s expenses. In addition, lack of liquidity in the market for an ETF’s shares can result in its value being more volatile than the underlying portfolio of securities.

Securities Lending Risk. Securities lending involves the risk of loss of rights in, or delay in recovery of, the loaned securities if the borrower fails to return the security loaned or becomes insolvent.

REITs Risk. The fund’s investments in REITs will be subject to the risks associated with the direct ownership of real estate, including fluctuations in the value of underlying properties, defaults by borrowers or tenants, changes in interest rates and risks related to general or local economic conditions. REITs are also subject to certain additional risks, for example, REITs are dependent upon specialized management skills and cash flows, and may have their investments in relatively few properties, a small geographic area or a single property type. Failure of a company to qualify as a REIT under federal tax law may have adverse consequences on the fund. In addition, REITs have their own expenses, and the fund will bear a proportionate share of those expenses.

Liquidity Risk. The fund may be unable to sell certain securities, such as illiquid securities, readily at a favorable time or price, or the fund may have to sell them at a loss.

Portfolio Turnover Risk. The fund buys and sells portfolio securities actively. This may cause the fund’s portfolio turnover rate and transaction costs to rise, which may lower the fund’s performance and may increase the likelihood of capital gains distributions.

For more information on the risks of investing in the fund, please see the “Fund Details” section in the prospectus.

Risk Lose Money [Text]

rr_RiskLoseMoney

The fund is subject to risks, any of which could cause an investor to lose money.

Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]

rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading

Performance

Performance Narrative [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart below shows how the fund’s investment results have varied from year to year, and the following table shows how the fund’s average annual total returns for various periods compared to that of two indices. This information provides some indication of the risks of investing in the fund. All figures assume distributions were reinvested. Keep in mind that future performance (both before and after taxes) may differ from past performance. For current performance information, please see www.schwabfunds.com/schwabfunds_prospectus.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]

rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns

Performance Availability Website Address [Text]

rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress

www.schwabfunds.com/schwabfunds_prospectus

Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]

rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture

Keep in mind that future performance (both before and after taxes) may differ from past performance.

Bar Chart [Heading]

rr_BarChartHeading

Annual Total Returns (%) as of 12/31

Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]

rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

Best Quarter: 16.01% Q1 2013

Worst Quarter: (12.09%) Q1 2020

Highest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Best Quarter:

Highest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate

Mar. 31, 2013

Highest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn

16.01%

Lowest Quarterly Return, Label

rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel

Worst Quarter:

Lowest Quarterly Return, Date

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate

Mar. 31, 2020

Lowest Quarterly Return

rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn

(12.09%)

Performance Table Heading

rr_PerformanceTableHeading

Average Annual Total Returns as of 12/31/20

Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate

rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate

The after-tax figures reflect the highest individual federal income tax rates in effect during the period and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.

Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred

rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred

Your actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. In addition, after-tax returns are not relevant if you hold your fund shares through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan, an individual retirement account (IRA) or other tax-advantaged account.

Performance Table Closing [Text Block]

rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock

The after-tax figures reflect the highest individual federal income tax rates in effect during the period and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Your actual after-tax returns depend on your individual tax situation. In addition, after-tax returns are not relevant if you hold your fund shares through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan, an individual retirement account (IRA) or other tax-advantaged account.

Schwab Health Care Fund | Comparative Indices (reflect no deduction for expenses or taxes) Dow Jones Global Health Care Index

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

1 Year

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01

16.05%

5 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05

10.97%

10 Years

rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10

14.01%