S000003880 [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 Core Equity Fund | Class IA Shares | ||||||||||
| Prospectus [Line Items] | ||||||||||
| Annual Return [Percent] | 17.11% | 27.32% | 28.36% | (15.54%) | 31.32% | 17.64% | 32.00% | (7.44%) | 23.14% | 12.34% |