Other Comprehensive Income - Other Comprehensive Loss (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Components of other comprehensive loss
Balance at the beginning of the period	$ 664,000,000	$ 659,000,000	$ 673,000,000	$ 886,000,000	$ 872,000,000	$ 855,000,000	$ 673,000,000	$ 855,000,000
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, gross							28,000,000	(26,000,000)
Tax expense							0	0
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss, gross							10,000,000	12,000,000
Tax expense							0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	39,000,000	22,000,000	(23,000,000)	(25,000,000)	(8,000,000)	19,000,000	38,000,000	(14,000,000)
Balance at the end of the period	663,000,000	664,000,000	659,000,000	845,000,000	886,000,000	872,000,000	663,000,000	845,000,000
Foreign currency translation adjustment
Components of other comprehensive loss
Balance at the beginning of the period			(97,000,000)			(96,000,000)	(97,000,000)	(96,000,000)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, gross							29,000,000	(36,000,000)
Tax expense							0	0
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss, gross							0	0
Tax expense							0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax							29,000,000	(36,000,000)
Balance at the end of the period	(68,000,000)			(132,000,000)			(68,000,000)	(132,000,000)
AOCI tax	0			0			0	0	$ 0	$ 0
Pension and other postretirement benefits adjustments net of tax
Components of other comprehensive loss
Balance at the beginning of the period			(295,000,000)			(278,000,000)	(295,000,000)	(278,000,000)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, gross							0	0
Tax expense							0	0
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss, gross							10,000,000	12,000,000
Tax expense							0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax							10,000,000	12,000,000
Balance at the end of the period	(285,000,000)			(266,000,000)			(285,000,000)	(266,000,000)
AOCI tax	50,000,000			50,000,000			50,000,000	50,000,000	$ 50,000,000	$ 50,000,000
Other comprehensive loss of unconsolidated affiliates
Components of other comprehensive loss
Balance at the beginning of the period			(5,000,000)			(5,000,000)	(5,000,000)	(5,000,000)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, gross							0	0
Tax expense							0	0
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss, gross							0	0
Tax expense							0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax							0	0
Balance at the end of the period	(5,000,000)			(5,000,000)			(5,000,000)	(5,000,000)
Hedging Instruments
Components of other comprehensive loss
Balance at the beginning of the period			12,000,000			6,000,000	12,000,000	6,000,000
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, gross							(1,000,000)	10,000,000
Tax expense							0	0
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss, gross							0	0
Tax expense							0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax							(1,000,000)	10,000,000
Balance at the end of the period	11,000,000			16,000,000			11,000,000	16,000,000
Total
Components of other comprehensive loss
Balance at the beginning of the period			(385,000,000)			(373,000,000)	(385,000,000)	(373,000,000)
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, gross							28,000,000	(26,000,000)
Tax expense							0	0
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss, gross							10,000,000	12,000,000
Tax expense							0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax							38,000,000	(14,000,000)
Balance at the end of the period	(347,000,000)			(387,000,000)			(347,000,000)	(387,000,000)
Amounts attributable to noncontrolling interests
Components of other comprehensive loss
Balance at the beginning of the period			0			0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss) before reclassifications, gross							0	0
Tax expense							0	0
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss, gross							0	0
Tax expense							0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax							0	0
Balance at the end of the period	0			0			0	0
Amounts attributable to Venator
Components of other comprehensive loss
Balance at the beginning of the period	(386,000,000)	(408,000,000)	(385,000,000)	(362,000,000)	(354,000,000)	(373,000,000)	(385,000,000)	(373,000,000)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	39,000,000	22,000,000	(23,000,000)	(25,000,000)	(8,000,000)	19,000,000
Balance at the end of the period	$ (347,000,000)	$ (386,000,000)	$ (408,000,000)	$ (387,000,000)	$ (362,000,000)	$ (354,000,000)	$ (347,000,000)	$ (387,000,000)