Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
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Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
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-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
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+ Details

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

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage price of original principal amount of debt at which debt can be redeemed by the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph e
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=75038535&loc=d3e64711-112823

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentRedemptionPricePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unused borrowing capacity under the long-term financing arrangement that is available to the entity as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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

- Definition

The cash inflow during the period from additional borrowings in aggregate debt. Includes proceeds from short-term and long-term debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3255-108585

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=abbv_SeniorNotesIssuedin2019Member
Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=abbv_AllerganNotesMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=abbv_AllerganEuroNotesMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_LoansPayableMember
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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measures - Debt and Credit Facilities (Details)		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Jul. 12, 2019 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Oct. 25, 2019 USD ($)	Oct. 25, 2019 EUR (€)
Senior notes \| Senior notes issued in 2019
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount of debt		$ 30,000,000,000.0
Special mandatory redemption price pending the proposed acquisition		101.00%
Senior notes \| Allergan notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of borrowings				$ 15,500,000,000
Senior notes \| Allergan Euro notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of borrowings \| €					€ 3,700,000,000
Term loan facilities \| July 2019 term loan agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of borrowings	$ 6,000,000,000.0
Term loan facilities \| July 2019 three-year term loan tranche
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of borrowings	$ 2,500,000,000
Term loan credit agreement term	3 years
Term loan facilities \| July 2019 five-year term loan tranche
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of borrowings	$ 2,000,000,000.0
Term loan credit agreement term	5 years
Bridge credit agreement \| June 2019 bridge credit agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount drawn under credit agreement			$ 0
Term loan facilities \| July 2019 364-day term loan tranche
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of borrowings	$ 1,500,000,000
Term loan credit agreement term	364 days