Long-Term Debt and Credit Facilities Long-Term Debt and Credit Facilities (Details 3) - Senior notes	Aug. 22, 2016	Apr. 06, 2016	Jan. 29, 2016
Qwest Corporation | 6.5% Notes due 2056 | Debt instrument, redemption, period one
Debt Instrument, Redemption [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, redemption, description	on or after September 1, 2021, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount redeemed
Qwest Corporation | 7.00% Notes due 2056 | Debt instrument, redemption, period one
Debt Instrument, Redemption [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, redemption, description			on or after February 1, 2021, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount redeemed
CenturyLink, Inc. | 7.5% Notes due 2024 | Debt instrument, redemption, period one
Debt Instrument, Redemption [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, redemption, description		on or after January 1, 2024, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount redeemed
CenturyLink, Inc. | 7.5% Notes due 2024 | Debt instrument, redemption, period two
Debt Instrument, Redemption [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, redemption, description		before January 1, 2024, the Notes are redeemable, in whole or in part, at CenturyLink, Inc.'s option, at a redemption price equal to the greater of 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed or the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Notes to be redeemed, discounted to the redemption date in the manner described in the Notes,
CenturyLink, Inc. | 7.5% Notes due 2024 | Debt instrument, redemption, period three
Debt Instrument, Redemption [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, redemption, description		on or prior to April 1, 2019, CenturyLink, Inc. may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes at a redemption price of 107.5% of the principal amount
CenturyLink, Inc. | 7.5% Notes due 2024 | Debt instrument, redemption, period four
Debt Instrument, Redemption [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, redemption, description		Under certain circumstances, CenturyLink, Inc. will be required to make an offer to repurchase the Notes at a price of 101% of the aggregate principal amount