Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (AOCI) Reclassifications (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Cost of products	$ 2,102	$ 2,072	$ 2,153
Cost of services	2,659	2,832	2,706
Selling, general and administrative expenses	926	1,042	1,012
Research and development expenses	242	230	263
Interest expense	170	173	181
Other (expense), net	(50)	(57)	(35)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(287)	150	(185)
Income tax expense (benefit)	92	55	(48)
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR common stockholders	221	(182)	191
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Cost of products	(3)	(13)	(10)
Cost of services	(11)	(8)	(6)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(6)	(6)	(4)
Research and development expenses	(4)	(4)	4
Interest expense	2	5	(4)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	22	26	20
Income tax expense (benefit)	4	8	8
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR common stockholders	(18)	(18)	(12)
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income | Actuarial losses recognized
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Cost of products	0	0	(10)
Cost of services	(1)	1	(6)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	1	(4)
Research and development expenses	(1)	0	0
Interest expense	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	2	(2)	20
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income | Accumulated Net Gain (Loss) from Cash Flow Hedges Attributable to Parent [Member]
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Cost of products	(3)	(12)	0
Cost of services	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0
Research and development expenses	0	0	4
Interest expense	2	5	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	1	7	(4)
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income | Accumulated Defined Benefit Plans Adjustment, Net Prior Service Attributable to Parent [Member]
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Cost of products	0	(1)
Cost of services	(10)	(9)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(6)	(7)
Research and development expenses	(3)	(4)
Interest expense	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	$ 19	$ 21
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income | Changes in Fair Value of Available for Sale Securities
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Cost of services			0
Selling, general and administrative expenses			0
Research and development expenses			0
Interest expense			0
Other (expense), net			(4)
Income (loss) from continuing operations			$ 4