Condensed Consolidating Supplemental Guarantor Information - Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Total revenue	$ 1,710,000,000	$ 1,537,000,000	$ 3,246,000,000	$ 3,054,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses	252,000,000	261,000,000	504,000,000	506,000,000
Research and development expenses	62,000,000	65,000,000	121,000,000	131,000,000
Asset Impairment Charges	0	183,000,000	0	183,000,000
Total operating expenses	1,553,000,000	1,643,000,000	2,989,000,000	3,051,000,000
Income (loss) from operations	157,000,000	(106,000,000)	257,000,000	3,000,000
Interest expense	(45,000,000)	(41,000,000)	(90,000,000)	(82,000,000)
Other expense, net	(9,000,000)	(9,000,000)	(17,000,000)	(14,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	103,000,000	(156,000,000)	150,000,000	(93,000,000)
Income tax expense (benefit)	15,000,000	(12,000,000)	24,000,000	(5,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	88,000,000	(144,000,000)	126,000,000	(88,000,000)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	88,000,000	(144,000,000)	126,000,000	(88,000,000)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	(2,000,000)	0	(37,000,000)
Net income (loss)	88,000,000	(146,000,000)	126,000,000	(125,000,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	(1,000,000)	1,000,000	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	88,000,000	(145,000,000)	125,000,000	(125,000,000)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	77,000,000	(189,000,000)	131,000,000	(154,000,000)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	(4,000,000)	1,000,000	(3,000,000)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	77,000,000	(185,000,000)	130,000,000	(151,000,000)
Product
Total revenue	664,000,000	525,000,000	1,203,000,000	1,051,000,000
Cost of revenue	539,000,000	451,000,000	992,000,000	871,000,000
Services
Total revenue	1,046,000,000	1,012,000,000	2,043,000,000	2,003,000,000
Cost of revenue	700,000,000	683,000,000	1,372,000,000	1,360,000,000
Eliminations
Total revenue	(82,000,000)	(63,000,000)	(128,000,000)	(101,000,000)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Research and development expenses	0	0	0	0
Asset Impairment Charges		0		0
Total operating expenses	(82,000,000)	(63,000,000)	(128,000,000)	(101,000,000)
Income (loss) from operations	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	2,000,000	2,000,000	5,000,000	3,000,000
Other expense, net	(2,000,000)	(2,000,000)	(5,000,000)	(3,000,000)
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	(58,000,000)	(139,000,000)	(280,000,000)	(274,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(58,000,000)	(139,000,000)	(280,000,000)	(274,000,000)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(58,000,000)	(139,000,000)	(280,000,000)	(274,000,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	(58,000,000)	(139,000,000)	(280,000,000)	(274,000,000)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(120,000,000)	(60,000,000)	(411,000,000)	(208,000,000)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	(120,000,000)	(60,000,000)	(411,000,000)	(208,000,000)
Eliminations | Product
Total revenue	(82,000,000)	(63,000,000)	(128,000,000)	(101,000,000)
Cost of revenue	(82,000,000)	(63,000,000)	(128,000,000)	(101,000,000)
Eliminations | Services
Total revenue	0	0	0	0
Cost of revenue	0	0	0	0
Parent Issuer
Total revenue	896,000,000	777,000,000	1,692,000,000	1,571,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses	141,000,000	130,000,000	281,000,000	294,000,000
Research and development expenses	34,000,000	29,000,000	67,000,000	75,000,000
Asset Impairment Charges		165,000,000		165,000,000
Total operating expenses	802,000,000	914,000,000	1,584,000,000	1,695,000,000
Income (loss) from operations	94,000,000	(137,000,000)	108,000,000	(124,000,000)
Interest expense	(43,000,000)	(40,000,000)	(86,000,000)	(79,000,000)
Other expense, net	(7,000,000)	(12,000,000)	(20,000,000)	(15,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	44,000,000	(189,000,000)	2,000,000	(218,000,000)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(48,000,000)	32,000,000	1,000,000	24,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	92,000,000	(221,000,000)	1,000,000	(242,000,000)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(4,000,000)	77,000,000	124,000,000	153,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations	88,000,000	(144,000,000)	125,000,000	(89,000,000)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	(1,000,000)	0	(36,000,000)
Net income (loss)	88,000,000	(145,000,000)	125,000,000	(125,000,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	88,000,000	(145,000,000)	125,000,000	(125,000,000)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	163,000,000	(185,000,000)	253,000,000	(151,000,000)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	163,000,000	(185,000,000)	253,000,000	(151,000,000)
Parent Issuer | Product
Total revenue	344,000,000	258,000,000	617,000,000	535,000,000
Cost of revenue	288,000,000	236,000,000	534,000,000	465,000,000
Parent Issuer | Services
Total revenue	552,000,000	519,000,000	1,075,000,000	1,036,000,000
Cost of revenue	339,000,000	354,000,000	702,000,000	696,000,000
Guarantor Subsidiary
Total revenue	4,000,000	32,000,000	8,000,000	45,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	1,000,000
Research and development expenses	0	0	0	0
Asset Impairment Charges		0		0
Total operating expenses	2,000,000	10,000,000	3,000,000	18,000,000
Income (loss) from operations	2,000,000	22,000,000	5,000,000	27,000,000
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Other expense, net	2,000,000	1,000,000	4,000,000	2,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	4,000,000	23,000,000	9,000,000	29,000,000
Income tax expense (benefit)	(17,000,000)	2,000,000	(18,000,000)	4,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	21,000,000	21,000,000	27,000,000	25,000,000
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	62,000,000	62,000,000	156,000,000	121,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations	83,000,000	83,000,000	183,000,000	146,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	83,000,000	83,000,000	183,000,000	146,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	83,000,000	83,000,000	183,000,000	146,000,000
Total comprehensive income (loss)	68,000,000	46,000,000	185,000,000	108,000,000
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	68,000,000	46,000,000	185,000,000	108,000,000
Guarantor Subsidiary | Product
Total revenue	3,000,000	24,000,000	5,000,000	29,000,000
Cost of revenue	1,000,000	7,000,000	1,000,000	11,000,000
Guarantor Subsidiary | Services
Total revenue	1,000,000	8,000,000	3,000,000	16,000,000
Cost of revenue	1,000,000	3,000,000	2,000,000	6,000,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Total revenue	892,000,000	791,000,000	1,674,000,000	1,539,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses	111,000,000	131,000,000	223,000,000	211,000,000
Research and development expenses	28,000,000	36,000,000	54,000,000	56,000,000
Asset Impairment Charges		18,000,000		18,000,000
Total operating expenses	831,000,000	782,000,000	1,530,000,000	1,439,000,000
Income (loss) from operations	61,000,000	9,000,000	144,000,000	100,000,000
Interest expense	(4,000,000)	(3,000,000)	(9,000,000)	(6,000,000)
Other expense, net	(2,000,000)	4,000,000	4,000,000	2,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	55,000,000	10,000,000	139,000,000	96,000,000
Income tax expense (benefit)	80,000,000	(46,000,000)	41,000,000	(33,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	(25,000,000)	56,000,000	98,000,000	129,000,000
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(25,000,000)	56,000,000	98,000,000	129,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	(1,000,000)	0	(1,000,000)
Net income (loss)	(25,000,000)	55,000,000	98,000,000	128,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	(1,000,000)	1,000,000	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	(25,000,000)	56,000,000	97,000,000	128,000,000
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(34,000,000)	10,000,000	104,000,000	97,000,000
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	(4,000,000)	1,000,000	(3,000,000)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	(34,000,000)	14,000,000	103,000,000	100,000,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Product
Total revenue	399,000,000	306,000,000	709,000,000	588,000,000
Cost of revenue	332,000,000	271,000,000	585,000,000	496,000,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Services
Total revenue	493,000,000	485,000,000	965,000,000	951,000,000
Cost of revenue	$ 360,000,000	$ 326,000,000	$ 668,000,000	$ 658,000,000