S000003897 [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 Focused International Equity Fund | Class IA Shares | ||||||||||
| Prospectus [Line Items] | ||||||||||
| Annual Return [Percent] | 36.75% | 3.63% | 19.56% | (17.99%) | 12.84% | 10.32% | 26.92% | (12.21%) | 28.71% | 1.37% |