Condensed Consolidating Supplemental Guarantor Information - Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Total revenue	$ 1,783,000,000	$ 1,550,000,000	$ 5,029,000,000	$ 4,604,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses	271,000,000	226,000,000	775,000,000	732,000,000
Research and development expenses	64,000,000	59,000,000	185,000,000	190,000,000
Asset Impairment Charges	0	0	0	(183,000,000)
Total operating expenses	1,611,000,000	1,425,000,000	4,600,000,000	4,476,000,000
Income (loss) from operations	172,000,000	125,000,000	429,000,000	128,000,000
Interest expense	(53,000,000)	(43,000,000)	(143,000,000)	(125,000,000)
Other expense, net	(11,000,000)	(10,000,000)	(28,000,000)	(24,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	108,000,000	72,000,000	258,000,000	(21,000,000)
Income tax expense (benefit)	4,000,000	(15,000,000)	28,000,000	(20,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	104,000,000	87,000,000	230,000,000	(1,000,000)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	104,000,000	87,000,000	230,000,000	(1,000,000)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(15,000,000)	(1,000,000)	(15,000,000)	(38,000,000)
Net income (loss)	89,000,000	86,000,000	215,000,000	(39,000,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,000,000)	2,000,000	0	2,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	90,000,000	84,000,000	215,000,000	(41,000,000)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	68,000,000	69,000,000	199,000,000	(85,000,000)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2,000,000)	3,000,000	(1,000,000)	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	70,000,000	66,000,000	200,000,000	(85,000,000)
Product
Total revenue	712,000,000	534,000,000	1,915,000,000	1,585,000,000
Cost of revenue	555,000,000	473,000,000	1,547,000,000	1,344,000,000
Services
Total revenue	1,071,000,000	1,016,000,000	3,114,000,000	3,019,000,000
Cost of revenue	721,000,000	667,000,000	2,093,000,000	2,027,000,000
Eliminations
Total revenue	(95,000,000)	(55,000,000)	(223,000,000)	(156,000,000)
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	(95,000,000)	(55,000,000)	(223,000,000)	(156,000,000)
Income (loss) from operations	0	0	0	0
Interest expense	0	3,000,000	5,000,000	6,000,000
Other expense, net	0	(3,000,000)	(5,000,000)	(6,000,000)
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	(194,000,000)	(64,000,000)	(474,000,000)	(338,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(194,000,000)	(64,000,000)	(474,000,000)	(338,000,000)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(194,000,000)	(64,000,000)	(474,000,000)	(338,000,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	(194,000,000)	(64,000,000)	(474,000,000)	(338,000,000)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(29,000,000)	(42,000,000)	(440,000,000)	(250,000,000)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	(29,000,000)	(42,000,000)	(440,000,000)	(250,000,000)
Eliminations | Product
Total revenue	(95,000,000)	(55,000,000)	(223,000,000)	(156,000,000)
Cost of revenue	(95,000,000)	(55,000,000)	(223,000,000)	(156,000,000)
Eliminations | Services
Total revenue	0	0	0	0
Cost of revenue	0	0	0	0
Parent Issuer
Total revenue	932,000,000	775,000,000	2,624,000,000	2,346,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses	170,000,000	132,000,000	451,000,000	426,000,000
Research and development expenses	27,000,000	40,000,000	94,000,000	115,000,000
Asset Impairment Charges		(1,000,000)		(166,000,000)
Total operating expenses	864,000,000	755,000,000	2,448,000,000	2,450,000,000
Income (loss) from operations	68,000,000	20,000,000	176,000,000	(104,000,000)
Interest expense	(51,000,000)	(42,000,000)	(137,000,000)	(121,000,000)
Other expense, net	0	0	(20,000,000)	(15,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	17,000,000	(22,000,000)	19,000,000	(240,000,000)
Income tax expense (benefit)	59,000,000	(80,000,000)	60,000,000	(56,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	(42,000,000)	58,000,000	(41,000,000)	(184,000,000)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	134,000,000	26,000,000	258,000,000	179,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations	92,000,000	84,000,000	217,000,000	(5,000,000)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(2,000,000)	0	(2,000,000)	(36,000,000)
Net income (loss)	90,000,000	84,000,000	215,000,000	(41,000,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	90,000,000	84,000,000	215,000,000	(41,000,000)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(53,000,000)	66,000,000	200,000,000	(85,000,000)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	(53,000,000)	66,000,000	200,000,000	(85,000,000)
Parent Issuer | Product
Total revenue	371,000,000	234,000,000	988,000,000	769,000,000
Cost of revenue	307,000,000	225,000,000	841,000,000	690,000,000
Parent Issuer | Services
Total revenue	561,000,000	541,000,000	1,636,000,000	1,577,000,000
Cost of revenue	360,000,000	357,000,000	1,062,000,000	1,053,000,000
Guarantor Subsidiary
Total revenue	6,000,000	16,000,000	14,000,000	61,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses	1,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000	2,000,000
Research and development expenses	0	0	0	0
Asset Impairment Charges		0		0
Total operating expenses	3,000,000	9,000,000	6,000,000	27,000,000
Income (loss) from operations	3,000,000	7,000,000	8,000,000	34,000,000
Interest expense	0	0	0	0
Other expense, net	0	2,000,000	4,000,000	4,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	3,000,000	9,000,000	12,000,000	38,000,000
Income tax expense (benefit)	1,000,000	2,000,000	(17,000,000)	6,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	2,000,000	7,000,000	29,000,000	32,000,000
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	60,000,000	38,000,000	216,000,000	159,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations	62,000,000	45,000,000	245,000,000	191,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	62,000,000	45,000,000	245,000,000	191,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	62,000,000	45,000,000	245,000,000	191,000,000
Total comprehensive income (loss)	39,000,000	40,000,000	224,000,000	148,000,000
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	39,000,000	40,000,000	224,000,000	148,000,000
Guarantor Subsidiary | Product
Total revenue	4,000,000	7,000,000	9,000,000	36,000,000
Cost of revenue	1,000,000	4,000,000	2,000,000	15,000,000
Guarantor Subsidiary | Services
Total revenue	2,000,000	9,000,000	5,000,000	25,000,000
Cost of revenue	1,000,000	4,000,000	3,000,000	10,000,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Total revenue	940,000,000	814,000,000	2,614,000,000	2,353,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses	100,000,000	93,000,000	323,000,000	304,000,000
Research and development expenses	37,000,000	19,000,000	91,000,000	75,000,000
Asset Impairment Charges		(1,000,000)		(17,000,000)
Total operating expenses	839,000,000	716,000,000	2,369,000,000	2,155,000,000
Income (loss) from operations	101,000,000	98,000,000	245,000,000	198,000,000
Interest expense	(2,000,000)	(4,000,000)	(11,000,000)	(10,000,000)
Other expense, net	(11,000,000)	(9,000,000)	(7,000,000)	(7,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	88,000,000	85,000,000	227,000,000	181,000,000
Income tax expense (benefit)	(56,000,000)	63,000,000	(15,000,000)	30,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	144,000,000	22,000,000	242,000,000	151,000,000
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	144,000,000	22,000,000	242,000,000	151,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(13,000,000)	(1,000,000)	(13,000,000)	(2,000,000)
Net income (loss)	131,000,000	21,000,000	229,000,000	149,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,000,000)	2,000,000	0	2,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	132,000,000	19,000,000	229,000,000	147,000,000
Total comprehensive income (loss)	111,000,000	5,000,000	215,000,000	102,000,000
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	(2,000,000)	3,000,000	(1,000,000)	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	113,000,000	2,000,000	216,000,000	102,000,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Product
Total revenue	432,000,000	348,000,000	1,141,000,000	936,000,000
Cost of revenue	342,000,000	299,000,000	927,000,000	795,000,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Services
Total revenue	508,000,000	466,000,000	1,473,000,000	1,417,000,000
Cost of revenue	$ 360,000,000	$ 306,000,000	$ 1,028,000,000	$ 964,000,000