Reportable Segments (Reportable Segments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Segment net sales	$ 2,529	$ 2,850
Depreciation	356	306
Research, development and engineering expenses	261	249
Income tax (provision) benefit	12	(76)
Net income (loss) attributable to Corning Incorporated	$ (96)	$ 499
Statutory U.S. income tax rate	21.00%	21.00%
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment net sales	$ 2,529	$ 2,850
Depreciation	296	303
Research, development and engineering expenses	209	213
Income tax (provision) benefit	(62)	(111)
Net income (loss) attributable to Corning Incorporated	236	413
Display Technologies [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment net sales	751	818
Depreciation	133	152
Research, development and engineering expenses	30	26
Income tax (provision) benefit	(40)	(55)
Net income (loss) attributable to Corning Incorporated	152	208
Optical Communications [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment net sales	791	1,064
Depreciation	62	59
Research, development and engineering expenses	55	56
Income tax (provision) benefit	(8)	(39)
Net income (loss) attributable to Corning Incorporated	29	142
Specialty Materials [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment net sales	352	309
Depreciation	42	37
Research, development and engineering expenses	41	41
Income tax (provision) benefit	(14)	(13)
Net income (loss) attributable to Corning Incorporated	51	49
Environmental Technologies [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment net sales	320	362
Depreciation	34	31
Research, development and engineering expenses	28	30
Income tax (provision) benefit	(9)	(15)
Net income (loss) attributable to Corning Incorporated	35	55
Life Sciences [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment net sales	258	243
Depreciation	12	13
Research, development and engineering expenses	7	5
Income tax (provision) benefit	(10)	(8)
Net income (loss) attributable to Corning Incorporated	38	31
All Other [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment net sales	57	54
Depreciation	13	11
Research, development and engineering expenses	48	55
Income tax (provision) benefit	19	19
Net income (loss) attributable to Corning Incorporated	$ (69)	$ (72)