Condensed Consolidating Supplemental Guarantor Information - Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Product revenue	$ 618	$ 676	$ 1,172	$ 1,224
Service revenue	975	944	1,899	1,840
Total revenue	1,593	1,620	3,071	3,064
Cost of products	478	517	902	959
Cost of services	652	657	1,293	1,279
Selling, general and administrative expenses	227	229	456	453
Research and development expenses	58	50	125	103
Restructuring Charges	0	4	0	6
Total operating expenses	1,415	1,457	2,776	2,800
Income from operations	178	163	295	264
Interest expense	(41)	(43)	(80)	(89)
Other (expense), net	(7)	(15)	(14)	(25)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	130	105	201	150
Income tax expense (benefit)	33	31	47	44
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	97	74	154	106
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income from continuing operations	97	74	154	106
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	5	0	5	0
Net income	102	74	159	106
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	(2)	0	(2)
Net income attributable to NCR	102	76	159	108
Total comprehensive income (loss)	99	54	174	74
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	(4)	0	(8)
Comprehensive income attributable to NCR	99	58	174	82
Eliminations
Product revenue	(60)	(106)	(164)	(170)
Service revenue	0	0	0	0
Total revenue	(60)	(106)	(164)	(170)
Cost of products	(60)	(106)	(164)	(170)
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 Charges		0		0
Total operating expenses	(60)	(106)	(164)	(170)
Income from operations	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	17	18	33	35
Other (expense), net	(17)	(18)	(33)	(35)
Income 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	(173)	(175)	(226)	(266)
Income from continuing operations	(173)	(175)	(226)	(266)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income	(173)	(175)	(226)	(266)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	(173)	(175)	(226)	(266)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(183)	(117)	(260)	(184)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to NCR	(183)	(117)	(260)	(184)
Parent Issuer
Product revenue	327	318	610	552
Service revenue	422	395	827	776
Total revenue	749	713	1,437	1,328
Cost of products	256	249	464	430
Cost of services	291	283	576	570
Selling, general and administrative expenses	116	128	234	250
Research and development expenses	34	29	60	57
Restructuring Charges		4		6
Total operating expenses	697	693	1,334	1,313
Income from operations	52	20	103	15
Interest expense	(39)	(41)	(78)	(86)
Other (expense), net	11	14	9	25
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	24	(7)	34	(46)
Income tax expense (benefit)	10	0	9	(21)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	14	(7)	25	(25)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	83	83	129	133
Income from continuing operations	97	76	154	108
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	5	0	5	0
Net income	102	76	159	108
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	102	76	159	108
Total comprehensive income (loss)	99	58	174	82
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to NCR	99	58	174	82
Guarantor Subsidiary
Product revenue	13	39	53	55
Service revenue	7	9	14	17
Total revenue	20	48	67	72
Cost of products	9	9	22	16
Cost of services	3	3	5	6
Selling, general and administrative expenses	1	1	2	2
Research and development expenses	0	0	0	0
Restructuring Charges		0		0
Total operating expenses	13	13	29	24
Income from operations	7	35	38	48
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Other (expense), net	(1)	0	(1)	(5)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	6	35	37	43
Income tax expense (benefit)	2	20	18	25
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	4	15	19	18
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	90	92	97	133
Income from continuing operations	94	107	116	151
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income	94	107	116	151
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income attributable to NCR	94	107	116	151
Total comprehensive income (loss)	107	66	141	101
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income attributable to NCR	107	66	141	101
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Product revenue	338	425	673	787
Service revenue	546	540	1,058	1,047
Total revenue	884	965	1,731	1,834
Cost of products	273	365	580	683
Cost of services	358	371	712	703
Selling, general and administrative expenses	110	100	220	201
Research and development expenses	24	21	65	46
Restructuring Charges		0		0
Total operating expenses	765	857	1,577	1,633
Income from operations	119	108	154	201
Interest expense	(19)	(20)	(35)	(38)
Other (expense), net	0	(11)	11	(10)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	100	77	130	153
Income tax expense (benefit)	21	11	20	40
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	79	66	110	113
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income from continuing operations	79	66	110	113
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income	79	66	110	113
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	(2)	0	(2)
Net income attributable to NCR	79	68	110	115
Total comprehensive income (loss)	76	47	119	75
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	(4)	0	(8)
Comprehensive income attributable to NCR	$ 76	$ 51	$ 119	$ 83