Condensed Consolidating Supplemental Guarantor Information - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Product revenue	$ 676	$ 703	$ 1,224	$ 1,307
Service revenue	944	901	1,840	1,773
Total revenue	1,620	1,604	3,064	3,080
Cost of products	517	544	959	1,027
Cost of services	657	914	1,279	1,517
Selling, general and administrative expenses	229	339	453	564
Research and development expenses	50	67	103	122
Restructuring-related charges	4	6	6	21
Total operating expenses	1,457	1,870	2,800	3,251
Income (loss) from operations	163	(266)	264	(171)
Interest expense	(43)	(45)	(89)	(89)
Other (expense), net	(15)	0	(25)	(7)
Income (loss) income from continuing operations beofre income taxes	105	(311)	150	(267)
Income tax expense (benefit)	31	32	44	34
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	74	(343)	106	(301)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) income from continuing operations	74	(343)	106	(301)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	74	(343)	106	(301)
Net income	(2)	1	(2)	3
Net income attributable to NCR	76	(344)	108	(304)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	54	(322)	74	(305)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4)	1	(8)	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	58	(323)	82	(305)
Parent Company [Member]
Product revenue	315	314	546	577
Service revenue	390	371	767	715
Total revenue	705	685	1,313	1,292
Cost of products	245	244	424	459
Cost of services	280	262	564	510
Selling, general and administrative expenses	127	116	247	228
Research and development expenses	29	22	57	44
Restructuring-related charges	4	3	6	7
Total operating expenses	685	647	1,298	1,248
Income (loss) from operations	20	38	15	44
Interest expense	(41)	(44)	(86)	(87)
Other (expense), net	14	12	25	20
Income (loss) income from continuing operations beofre income taxes	(7)	6	(46)	(23)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	4	(21)	1
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	(7)	2	(25)	(24)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	83	(346)	133	(280)
Income (loss) income from continuing operations	76	(344)	108	(304)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	76	(344)	108	(304)
Net income	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	76	(344)	108	(304)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	58	(323)	82	(305)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	58	(323)	82	(305)
Guarantor Subsidiary [Member]
Product revenue	39	27	55	46
Service revenue	9	8	17	15
Total revenue	48	35	72	61
Cost of products	9	9	16	19
Cost of services	3	3	6	5
Selling, general and administrative expenses	1	1	2	3
Research and development expenses	0	0	0	0
Restructuring-related charges	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	13	13	24	27
Income (loss) from operations	35	22	48	34
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Other (expense), net	0	2	(5)	2
Income (loss) income from continuing operations beofre income taxes	35	24	43	36
Income tax expense (benefit)	20	11	25	16
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	15	13	18	20
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	89	(359)	137	(303)
Income (loss) income from continuing operations	104	(346)	155	(283)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	104	(346)	155	(283)
Net income	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	104	(346)	155	(283)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	70	(274)	105	(246)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	70	(274)	105	(246)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Product revenue	428	485	793	896
Service revenue	545	522	1,056	1,043
Total revenue	973	1,007	1,849	1,939
Cost of products	369	414	689	761
Cost of services	374	649	709	1,002
Selling, general and administrative expenses	101	222	204	333
Research and development expenses	21	45	46	78
Restructuring-related charges	0	3	0	14
Total operating expenses	865	1,333	1,648	2,188
Income (loss) from operations	108	(326)	201	(249)
Interest expense	(20)	(20)	(38)	(39)
Other (expense), net	(11)	5	(10)	8
Income (loss) income from continuing operations beofre income taxes	77	(341)	153	(280)
Income tax expense (benefit)	11	17	40	17
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	66	(358)	113	(297)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) income from continuing operations	66	(358)	113	(297)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	66	(358)	113	(297)
Net income	(2)	1	(2)	3
Net income attributable to NCR	68	(359)	115	(300)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	47	(334)	75	(309)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(4)	1	(8)	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	51	(335)	83	(309)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Product revenue	(106)	(123)	(170)	(212)
Service revenue	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	(106)	(123)	(170)	(212)
Cost of products	(106)	(123)	(170)	(212)
Cost of services	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Research and development expenses	0	0	0	0
Restructuring-related charges	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	(106)	(123)	(170)	(212)
Income (loss) from operations	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	18	19	35	37
Other (expense), net	(18)	(19)	(35)	(37)
Income (loss) income from continuing operations beofre income taxes	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(172)	705	(270)	583
Income (loss) income from continuing operations	(172)	705	(270)	583
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(172)	705	(270)	583
Net income	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	(172)	705	(270)	583
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(121)	609	(188)	555
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders	$ (121)	$ 609	$ (188)	$ 555