| Label | Element | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Risk Return Abstract | rr_RiskReturnAbstract | |
| Registrant Name | dei_EntityRegistrantName | VANGUARD WHITEHALL FUNDS |
| Prospectus Date | rr_ProspectusDate | Feb. 27, 2024 |
| Retail | Vanguard Global Minimum Volatility Fund | ||
| Risk Return Abstract | rr_RiskReturnAbstract | |
| Risk/Return [Heading] | rr_RiskReturnHeading | <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:13pt;font-weight:bold;">Fund Summary</span> |
| Objective [Heading] | rr_ObjectiveHeading | <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Investment Objective</span> |
| Objective, Primary [Text Block] | rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock | The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation with lower volatility relative to the global equity market. |
| Expense [Heading] | rr_ExpenseHeading | <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Fees and Expenses</span> |
| Expense Narrative [Text Block] | rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock | The following tables describe the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Investor Shares or Admiral 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 tables and examples below. |
| Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] | rr_ShareholderFeesCaption | <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">Shareholder Fees</span> <br/><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;margin-left:0%;">(Fees paid directly from your investment)</span> |
| Operating Expenses Caption [Text] | rr_OperatingExpensesCaption | <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">Annual Fund Operating Expenses</span> <br/><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;margin-left:0%;">(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)</span> |
| Portfolio Turnover [Heading] | rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading | <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Portfolio Turnover</span> |
| 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 rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense examples, reduce the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 45% of the average value of its portfolio. |
| Portfolio Turnover, Rate | rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate | 45.00% |
| Expense Example [Heading] | rr_ExpenseExampleHeading | <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Examples</span> |
| Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] | rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock | The following examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Shares or Admiral Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. They illustrate the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund’s shares. These examples assume that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be: |
| Strategy [Heading] | rr_StrategyHeading | <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Principal Investment Strategies</span> |
| Strategy Narrative [Text Block] | rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock | The Fund invests primarily in U.S. and foreign stocks that are expected to generate lower volatility relative to the global equity market. The portfolio will include a diverse mix of companies located in many different countries and representing many different market sectors and industry groups. The advisor uses quantitative models that evaluate all of the securities in the Fund’s benchmark, the FTSE Global All Cap Index (USD Hedged), to construct a global equity portfolio that seeks to achieve the lowest amount of expected volatility subject to a set of reasonable constraints designed to foster portfolio diversification and liquidity. The Fund generally will seek to hedge most of its currency exposure back to the U.S. dollar to reduce overall portfolio volatility. |
| Risk [Heading] | rr_RiskHeading | <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Principal Risks</span> |
| Risk [Text Block] | rr_RiskTextBlock | • Stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices. The Fund’s investments in foreign stocks can be riskier than U.S. stock investments. Foreign stocks may be more volatile and less liquid than U.S. stocks. The prices of foreign stocks and the prices of U.S. stocks may move in opposite directions.• Investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from the types of stocks in which the Fund invests will trail returns from global stock markets. Low volatility stocks tend to have lower risk profiles than the global equity market in general. Investing in low volatility stocks may not protect the Fund from market declines and may reduce the Fund’s participation in market gains.• Country/regional risk, which is the chance that world events—such as political upheaval, financial troubles, or natural disasters—will adversely affect the value of securities issued by companies in foreign countries or regions. Because the Fund may invest a large portion of its assets in securities of companies located in any one country or region, the Fund’s performance may be hurt disproportionately by the poor performance of its investments in that area. Country/regional risk is especially high in emerging markets.• Currency risk and currency hedging risk. The Fund generally will seek to hedge most of its currency exposure back to the U.S. dollar to reduce overall portfolio volatility. However, not all currency exposure will be hedged, so the Fund will have a low level of currency risk. Currency risk is the chance that the value of a foreign investment, measured in U.S. dollars, will decrease because of unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates. The Fund will also have a low level of currency hedging risk, which is the chance that the currency hedging transactions entered into by the Fund may not perfectly offset the Fund’s foreign currency exposure. For example, the Fund will decline in value if it underhedges a currency that has weakened or overhedges a currency that has strengthened relative to the U.S. dollar.• Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective.• Derivatives risk. The Fund may invest in derivatives, which may involve risks different from, and possibly greater than, those of investments directly in the underlying securities or assets. |
| Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] | rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading | <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;">Annual Total Returns</span> |
| Performance Narrative [Text Block] | rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock | The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund’s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of a relevant market index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. FTSE Global All Cap Index (USD Hedged) returns are adjusted for withholding taxes applicable to U.S.-based mutual funds organized as Delaware statutory trusts. Keep in mind that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447. |
| Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] | rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns | <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund’s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of a relevant market index, which has investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund.</span> |
| Performance Availability Phone [Text] | rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone | <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">800-662-7447</span> |
| Performance Availability Website Address [Text] | rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress | <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;font-style:italic;">vanguard.com/performance</span> |
| Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] | rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture | <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Keep in mind </span><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">that the Fund’s past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.</span> |
| Bar Chart [Heading] | rr_BarChartHeading | <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;">Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Global Minimum Volatility Fund Investor Shares</span> |
| Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] | rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock | During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest and lowest returns for a calendar quarter were: |
| Performance Table Heading | rr_PerformanceTableHeading | <span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2023</span> |
| Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate | rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate | <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">When after-tax returns are calculated, it is </span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. </span> |
| Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred | rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred | <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">not relevant for </span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. </span> |
| Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text] | rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown | <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor </span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Shares and may differ for each share class. After-tax returns are </span> |
| Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher | rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher | <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Also, figures captioned </span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;font-style:italic;">Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares</span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;"> may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.</span> |
| Performance Table Closing [Text Block] | rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock | Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class. After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder. |
| Retail | Vanguard Global Minimum Volatility Fund | Risk Lose Money [Member] | ||
| Risk Return Abstract | rr_RiskReturnAbstract | |
| Risk [Text Block] | rr_RiskTextBlock | An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. |
| Retail | Vanguard Global Minimum Volatility Fund | Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Member] | ||
| Risk Return Abstract | rr_RiskReturnAbstract | |
| Risk [Text Block] | rr_RiskTextBlock | An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. |
| Retail | Vanguard Global Minimum Volatility Fund | Investor Shares | ||
| Risk Return Abstract | rr_RiskReturnAbstract | |
| Purchase Fee | rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther | none |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice | none |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends | rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther | none |
| Redemption Fee | rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption | none |
| Account Service Fee Per Year (for certain fund account balances below $5,000,000) | rr_MaximumAccountFee | $ 25 |
| Management Fees | rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets | 0.19% |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets | none |
| Other Expenses | rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets | 0.02% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | rr_ExpensesOverAssets | 0.21% |
| 1 Year | rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 | $ 22 |
| 3 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 | 68 |
| 5 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 | 118 |
| 10 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 | $ 268 |
| Highest Quarterly Return, Label | rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel | <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8pt;margin-left:0.0pt;">Highest</span> |
| Highest Quarterly Return, Date | rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate | Jun. 30, 2020 |
| Highest Quarterly Return | rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn | 11.31% |
| Lowest Quarterly Return, Label | rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel | <span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8pt;margin-left:0.0pt;">Lowest</span> |
| Lowest Quarterly Return, Date | rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate | Mar. 31, 2020 |
| Lowest Quarterly Return | rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn | (20.92%) |
| 1 Year | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 | 7.85% |
| 5 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 | 6.28% |
| 10 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 | 7.26% |
| Retail | Vanguard Global Minimum Volatility Fund | Admiral Shares | ||
| Risk Return Abstract | rr_RiskReturnAbstract | |
| Purchase Fee | rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther | none |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases | rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice | none |
| Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends | rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther | none |
| Redemption Fee | rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption | none |
| Account Service Fee Per Year (for certain fund account balances below $5,000,000) | rr_MaximumAccountFee | $ 25 |
| Management Fees | rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets | 0.13% |
| 12b-1 Distribution Fee | rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets | none |
| Other Expenses | rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets | 0.01% |
| Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses | rr_ExpensesOverAssets | 0.14% |
| 1 Year | rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 | $ 14 |
| 3 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 | 45 |
| 5 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 | 79 |
| 10 Years | rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 | $ 179 |
| 1 Year | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 | 7.97% |
| 5 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 | 6.36% |
| 10 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 | 7.35% |
| Retail | Vanguard Global Minimum Volatility Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Investor Shares | ||
| Risk Return Abstract | rr_RiskReturnAbstract | |
| 1 Year | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 | 6.98% |
| 5 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 | 5.29% |
| 10 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 | 6.09% |
| Retail | Vanguard Global Minimum Volatility Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Investor Shares | ||
| Risk Return Abstract | rr_RiskReturnAbstract | |
| 1 Year | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 | 5.09% |
| 5 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 | 4.76% |
| 10 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 | 5.52% |
| Retail | Vanguard Global Minimum Volatility Fund | FTSE Global All Cap Index Hedged (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses) | ||
| Risk Return Abstract | rr_RiskReturnAbstract | |
| 1 Year | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 | 22.66% |
| 5 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 | 13.13% |
| 10 Years | rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 | 9.65% |