Condensed Consolidating Supplemental Guarantor Information - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Product revenue	$ 708	$ 688	$ 1,932	$ 1,995
Service revenue	969	925	2,809	2,698
Total revenue	1,677	1,613	4,741	4,693
Cost of products	528	512	1,487	1,539
Cost of services	672	644	1,951	2,161
Selling, general and administrative expenses	225	224	678	788
Research and development expenses	56	53	159	175
Restructuring-related charges	7	12	13	33
Total operating expenses	1,488	1,445	4,288	4,696
Income (loss) from operations	189	168	453	(3)
Interest expense	(41)	(42)	(130)	(131)
Other (expense), net	(8)	(7)	(33)	(14)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	140	119	290	(148)
Income tax expense (benefit)	31	16	75	50
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	109	103	215	(198)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	109	103	215	(198)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(2)	(4)	(2)	(4)
Net income (loss)	107	99	213	(202)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	2	1	0	4
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	105	98	213	(206)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	110	57	184	(248)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	1	(3)	(7)	(3)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	109	60	191	(245)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Product revenue	(100)	(348)	(270)	(560)
Service revenue		0	0	0
Total revenue	(100)	(348)	(270)	(560)
Cost of products	(100)	(348)	(270)	(560)
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	(100)	(348)	(270)	(560)
Income (loss) from operations	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	17	18	52	55
Other (expense), net	(17)	(18)	(52)	(55)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	0	0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(234)	(206)	(504)	377
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(234)	(206)	(504)	377
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(234)	(206)	(504)	377
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	(234)	(206)	(504)	377
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(236)	(98)	(424)	457
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	(236)	(98)	(424)	457
Parent Company [Member]
Product revenue	352	301	898	878
Service revenue	410	394	1,177	1,109
Total revenue	762	695	2,075	1,987
Cost of products	277	224	701	683
Cost of services	321	282	885	792
Selling, general and administrative expenses	114	122	361	350
Research and development expenses	26	32	83	76
Restructuring-related charges	4	7	10	14
Total operating expenses	742	667	2,040	1,915
Income (loss) from operations	20	28	35	72
Interest expense	(40)	(41)	(126)	(128)
Other (expense), net	10	13	35	33
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	(10)	0	(56)	(23)
Income tax expense (benefit)	2	(10)	(19)	(9)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	(12)	10	(37)	(14)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	119	93	252	(187)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	107	103	215	(201)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(2)	(5)	(2)	(5)
Net income (loss)	105	98	213	(206)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	105	98	213	(206)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	109	60	191	(245)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	109	60	191	(245)
Guarantor Subsidiary [Member]
Product revenue	15	32	70	78
Service revenue	9	8	26	23
Total revenue	24	40	96	101
Cost of products	14	13	30	32
Cost of services	3	3	9	8
Selling, general and administrative expenses	1	1	3	4
Research and development expenses	0	0	0	0
Restructuring-related charges	0	0	0	0
Total operating expenses	18	17	42	44
Income (loss) from operations	6	23	54	57
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Other (expense), net	(6)	0	(11)	2
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	0	23	43	59
Income tax expense (benefit)	7	14	32	30
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	(7)	9	11	29
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	115	113	252	(190)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	108	122	263	(161)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	108	122	263	(161)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	108	122	263	(161)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	104	50	209	(196)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	104	50	209	(196)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Product revenue	441	703	1,234	1,599
Service revenue	550	523	1,606	1,566
Total revenue	991	1,226	2,840	3,165
Cost of products	337	623	1,026	1,384
Cost of services	348	359	1,057	1,361
Selling, general and administrative expenses	110	101	314	434
Research and development expenses	30	21	76	99
Restructuring-related charges	3	5	3	19
Total operating expenses	828	1,109	2,476	3,297
Income (loss) from operations	163	117	364	(132)
Interest expense	(18)	(19)	(56)	(58)
Other (expense), net	5	(2)	(5)	6
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	150	96	303	(184)
Income tax expense (benefit)	22	12	62	29
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	128	84	241	(213)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	128	84	241	(213)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	1	0	1
Net income (loss)	128	85	241	(212)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	2	1	0	4
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	126	84	241	(216)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	133	45	208	(264)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	1	(3)	(7)	(3)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	$ 132	$ 48	$ 215	$ (261)