Condensed Consolidating Supplemental Guarantor Information Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Product revenue									$ 2,737	$ 2,711	$ 2,892
Service revenue									3,806	3,662	3,699
Total revenue	$ 1,802	$ 1,677	$ 1,620	$ 1,444	$ 1,680	$ 1,613	$ 1,604	$ 1,476	6,543	6,373	6,591
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
Restructuring-related charges									15	62	104
Total operating expenses									5,944	6,238	6,238
Income (loss) from operations	146	189	163	101	138	168	(266)	95	599	135	353
Interest expense									(170)	(173)	(181)
Other (expense), net									(50)	(57)	(35)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									379	(95)	137
Income tax expense (benefit)									92	55	(48)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries									287	(150)	185
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Income from continuing operations									287	(150)	185
Loss (income) from discontinued operations									(13)	(24)	10
Net income (loss)									274	(174)	195
Net income									4	4	4
Net (loss) income attributable to NCR	$ 45	$ 92	$ 63	$ 21	$ 24	$ 98	$ (344)	$ 40	270	(178)	191
Total comprehensive income (loss)									214	(191)	94
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests									(1)	1	1
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders									215	(192)	93
Parent Company [Member]
Product revenue									1,293	1,189	1,103
Service revenue									1,615	1,528	1,445
Total revenue									2,908	2,717	2,548
Cost of products									1,024	904	867
Cost of services									1,170	1,103	1,119
Selling, general and administrative expenses									484	501	519
Research and development expenses									139	102	161
Restructuring-related charges									11	32	32
Total operating expenses									2,828	2,642	2,698
Income (loss) from operations									80	75	(150)
Interest expense									(165)	(168)	(177)
Other (expense), net									44	22	39
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									(41)	(71)	(288)
Income tax expense (benefit)									(18)	(33)	(169)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries									(23)	(38)	(119)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									306	(115)	300
Income from continuing operations									283	(153)	181
Loss (income) from discontinued operations									(13)	(25)	10
Net income (loss)									270	(178)	191
Net income									0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to NCR									270	(178)	191
Total comprehensive income (loss)									215	(192)	93
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders									215	(192)	93
Guarantor Subsidiary [Member]
Product revenue									111	105	111
Service revenue									36	33	28
Total revenue									147	138	139
Cost of products									50	43	41
Cost of services									12	13	13
Selling, general and administrative expenses									4	4	2
Research and development expenses									0	0	0
Restructuring-related charges									0	0	1
Total operating expenses									66	60	57
Income (loss) from operations									81	78	82
Interest expense									0	0	(1)
Other (expense), net									(23)	4	(4)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									58	82	77
Income tax expense (benefit)									21	52	68
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries									37	30	9
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									304	(161)	373
Income from continuing operations									341	(131)	382
Loss (income) from discontinued operations									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									341	(131)	382
Net income									0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to NCR									341	(131)	382
Total comprehensive income (loss)									277	(154)	300
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders									277	(154)	300
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Product revenue									1,768	2,339	2,099
Service revenue									2,155	2,101	2,226
Total revenue									3,923	4,440	4,325
Cost of products									1,463	2,047	1,666
Cost of services									1,477	1,716	1,574
Selling, general and administrative expenses									438	537	491
Research and development expenses									103	128	102
Restructuring-related charges									4	30	71
Total operating expenses									3,485	4,458	3,904
Income (loss) from operations									438	(18)	421
Interest expense									(74)	(78)	(75)
Other (expense), net									(2)	(10)	2
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									362	(106)	348
Income tax expense (benefit)									89	36	53
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries									273	(142)	295
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Income from continuing operations									273	(142)	295
Loss (income) from discontinued operations									0	1	0
Net income (loss)									273	(141)	295
Net income									4	4	4
Net (loss) income attributable to NCR									269	(145)	291
Total comprehensive income (loss)									210	(156)	188
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests									(1)	1	1
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders									211	(157)	187
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Product revenue									(435)	(922)	(421)
Service revenue									0	0	0
Total revenue									(435)	(922)	(421)
Cost of products									(435)	(922)	(421)
Cost of services									0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses									0	0	0
Research and development expenses									0	0	0
Restructuring-related charges									0	0	0
Total operating expenses									(435)	(922)	(421)
Income (loss) from operations									0	0	0
Interest expense									69	73	72
Other (expense), net									(69)	(73)	(72)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									0	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)									0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries									0	0	0
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									(610)	276	(673)
Income from continuing operations									(610)	276	(673)
Loss (income) from discontinued operations									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									(610)	276	(673)
Net income									0	0	0
Net (loss) income attributable to NCR									(610)	276	(673)
Total comprehensive income (loss)									(488)	311	(487)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders									$ (488)	$ 311	$ (487)