Derivatives, Sold and Purchased Credit Derivatives (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Details of Sold and Purchased Credit Derivatives [Abstract]
Fair value liability	$ 4,209	$ 5,178
Notional amount Protection sold	35,753	38,403
Notional amount Protection sold non investment grade	21,819	23,817
Notional amount Protection purchased with identical underlyings	18,119	18,372
Notional Net protection sold	17,634	20,031
Notional Other protection purchased	16,303	17,843
Structured products [Member]
Details of Sold and Purchased Credit Derivatives [Abstract]
Fair value liability	2,924	3,308
Notional amount Protection sold	4,590	4,691
Notional amount Protection sold non investment grade	4,162	4,300
Notional amount Protection purchased with identical underlyings	2,065	2,194
Notional Net protection sold	2,525	2,497
Notional Other protection purchased	1,065	1,335
Range of maturities, from	2016	2016
Range of maturities, to	2056	2056
Credit Default Swap [Member]
Details of Sold and Purchased Credit Derivatives [Abstract]
Fair value liability	31	68
Notional amount Protection sold	3,368	3,006
Notional amount Protection sold non investment grade	927	843
Notional amount Protection purchased with identical underlyings	2,821	2,341
Notional Net protection sold	547	665
Notional Other protection purchased	980	912
Range of maturities, from	2012	2012
Range of maturities, to	2017	2017
Corporate Bond Securities [Member]
Details of Sold and Purchased Credit Derivatives [Abstract]
Fair value liability	561	1,002
Notional amount Protection sold	22,189	24,634
Notional amount Protection sold non investment grade	12,459	14,043
Notional amount Protection purchased with identical underlyings	12,565	13,329
Notional Net protection sold	9,624	11,305
Notional Other protection purchased	8,500	9,404
Range of maturities, from	2012	2012
Range of maturities, to	2021	2021
Total asset-backed securities [Member]
Details of Sold and Purchased Credit Derivatives [Abstract]
Fair value liability	70	76
Notional amount Protection sold	81	83
Notional amount Protection sold non investment grade	81	83
Notional amount Protection purchased with identical underlyings	6	8
Notional Net protection sold	75	75
Notional Other protection purchased	115	116
Range of maturities, from	2037	2037
Range of maturities, to	2046	2046
Loan deliverable credit default swaps [Member]
Details of Sold and Purchased Credit Derivatives [Abstract]
Fair value liability	1	2
Notional amount Protection sold	417	460
Notional amount Protection sold non investment grade	417	453
Notional amount Protection purchased with identical underlyings	318	355
Notional Net protection sold	99	105
Notional Other protection purchased	160	251
Range of maturities, from	2012	2012
Range of maturities, to	2016	2016
Other [Member]
Details of Sold and Purchased Credit Derivatives [Abstract]
Fair value liability	7	9
Notional amount Protection sold	3,831	4,172
Notional amount Protection sold non investment grade	3,320	3,637
Notional amount Protection purchased with identical underlyings	215	126
Notional Net protection sold	3,616	4,046
Notional Other protection purchased	4,058	4,422
Range of maturities, from	2012	2012
Range of maturities, to	2056	2056
Commercial [Member]
Details of Sold and Purchased Credit Derivatives [Abstract]
Fair value liability	615	713
Notional amount Protection sold	1,277	1,357
Notional amount Protection sold non investment grade	453	458
Notional amount Protection purchased with identical underlyings	129	19
Notional Net protection sold	1,148	1,338
Notional Other protection purchased	$ 1,425	$ 1,403
Range of maturities, from	2049	2049
Range of maturities, to	2052	2052

Discloses the fair value of the credit derivative (or each group of similar credit derivatives) as of the date of the statement of financial position.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4K

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6935481&loc=SL5708775-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 133

-Paragraph 44DD

-Subparagraph c

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditDerivativeCurrentFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) the seller could be required to make under the credit derivative or each group of similar credit derivatives before reduction for potential recoveries under recourse or collateralization provisions in the credit derivative.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Credit Derivative

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6854095

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4K

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6935481&loc=SL5708775-113959

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 133

-Paragraph 44DD

-Subparagraph b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The high end of the range of time remaining until maturity when a range is presented for a group of derivatives.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeHigherRemainingMaturityRange
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:durationStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The low end of the range of time remaining until maturity when a range is presented for a group of derivatives.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeLowerRemainingMaturityRange
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:durationStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Credit Derivative, Notional Amount, Net protection sold and purchased.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wfc_CreditDerivativeNotionalAmountNetProtectionSoldAndPurchased
Namespace Prefix:	wfc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Credit Derivative, Notional amount Protection sold non investment grade.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wfc_CreditDerivativeNotionalAmountProtectionSoldNonInvestmentGrade
Namespace Prefix:	wfc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Credit derivative, Notional Amount, purchased credit protection other.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wfc_CreditDerivativeNotionalAmountPurchasedCreditProtectionOther
Namespace Prefix:	wfc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Describes, in the context of the estimate of potential recoveries, any purchased credit protection with identical underlying(s).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wfc_CreditDerivativesNotionalAmountPurchasedCreditProtection
Namespace Prefix:	wfc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	wfc_DetailsOfSoldAndPurchasedCreditDerivativesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	wfc_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration