S000003893 [Member] Annual Total Returns |
12 Months Ended | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 31, 2025 |
Dec. 31, 2024 |
Dec. 31, 2023 |
Dec. 31, 2022 |
Dec. 31, 2021 |
Dec. 31, 2020 |
Dec. 31, 2019 |
Dec. 31, 2018 |
Dec. 31, 2017 |
Dec. 31, 2016 |
|
| Putnam VT Diversified Income Fund | Class IA Shares | ||||||||||
| Prospectus [Line Items] | ||||||||||
| Annual Return [Percent] | 8.94% | 6.09% | 5.01% | (2.06%) | (6.73%) | (0.76%) | 11.56% | (0.74%) | 7.42% | 5.76% |