Share-Based Compensation Plans (Schedule Of Compensation Expense) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Apr. 02, 2016	Apr. 04, 2015
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense included in Operating earnings	$ 17	$ 21
Tax benefit	5	7
Share-based compensation expense, net of tax	$ 12	$ 14
Decrease in basic earnings per share (US$ per share)	$ (0.07)	$ (0.07)
Decrease in diluted earnings per share (US$ per share)	$ (0.07)	$ (0.06)
Share-based compensation expense in discontinued operations	$ 0	$ 0
Costs of sales
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense included in Operating earnings	2	3
Selling, general and administrative expenses
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense included in Operating earnings	12	13
Research and development expenditures
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]
Share-based compensation expense included in Operating earnings	$ 3	$ 5

Discontinued Operations, Share-Based Compensation Expense

No definition available.

Name:	msi_DiscontinuedOperationsShareBasedCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	msi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the increase (decrease) in basic earnings per share attributable to share-based compensation expense.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	msi_ShareBasedCompensationExpenseImpactOnEarningsPerShareBasic
Namespace Prefix:	msi_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the increase (decrease) in diluted earnings per share attributable to share-based compensation expense.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	msi_ShareBasedCompensationExpenseImpactOnEarningsPerShareDiluted
Namespace Prefix:	msi_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the expense recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 14.F)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27013229&loc=d3e301413-122809

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5047-113901

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of expense, net of income tax, recognized during the period arising from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments) with employees, directors and certain consultants qualifying for treatment as employees.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AllocatedShareBasedCompensationExpenseNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationAllocationOfRecognizedPeriodCostsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total recognized tax benefit related to compensation cost for equity-based payment arrangements recognized in income during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (h)(1)(i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EmployeeServiceShareBasedCompensationTaxBenefitFromCompensationExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_CostOfSalesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=msi_SellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: