Condensed Consolidating Supplemental Guarantor Information Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Total revenue									$ 6,915,000,000	$ 6,405,000,000	$ 6,516,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses									1,051,000,000	1,005,000,000	923,000,000
Research and development expenses									259,000,000	252,000,000	241,000,000
Asset Impairment Charges									0	227,000,000	0
Restructuring-related charges									4,000,000	50,000,000
Total operating expenses									6,304,000,000	6,214,000,000	5,825,000,000
Income (loss) from operations	$ 182,000,000	$ 172,000,000	$ 157,000,000	$ 100,000,000	$ 63,000,000	$ 125,000,000	$ (106,000,000)	$ 109,000,000	611,000,000	191,000,000	691,000,000
Interest expense									(197,000,000)	(168,000,000)	(163,000,000)
Other income (expense), net									(73,000,000)	16,000,000	(46,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									341,000,000	39,000,000	482,000,000
Income tax expense (benefit)									(273,000,000)	73,000,000	242,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries									614,000,000	(34,000,000)	240,000,000
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations									614,000,000	(34,000,000)	240,000,000
Loss (income) from discontinued operations									(50,000,000)	(52,000,000)	(5,000,000)
Net income (loss)									564,000,000	(86,000,000)	235,000,000
Net income									0	2,000,000	3,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	$ 343,000,000	$ 11,000,000	$ 76,000,000	$ 24,000,000	$ (60,000,000)	$ 72,000,000	$ (157,000,000)	$ 8,000,000	564,000,000	(88,000,000)	232,000,000
Total comprehensive income (loss)									538,000,000	(136,000,000)	239,000,000
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests									(3,000,000)	0	1,000,000
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders									541,000,000	(136,000,000)	238,000,000
Parent Company [Member]
Total revenue									3,556,000,000	3,247,000,000	3,422,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses									648,000,000	578,000,000	492,000,000
Research and development expenses									88,000,000	102,000,000	184,000,000
Asset Impairment Charges										210,000,000
Total operating expenses									3,350,000,000	3,368,000,000	3,118,000,000
Income (loss) from operations									206,000,000	(121,000,000)	304,000,000
Interest expense									(188,000,000)	(161,000,000)	(159,000,000)
Other income (expense), net									(79,000,000)	6,000,000	(76,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									(61,000,000)	(276,000,000)	69,000,000
Income tax expense (benefit)									(28,000,000)	(55,000,000)	112,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries									(33,000,000)	(221,000,000)	(43,000,000)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									634,000,000	183,000,000	280,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations									601,000,000	(38,000,000)	237,000,000
Loss (income) from discontinued operations									(37,000,000)	(50,000,000)	(5,000,000)
Net income (loss)									564,000,000	(88,000,000)	232,000,000
Net income									0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR									564,000,000	(88,000,000)	232,000,000
Total comprehensive income (loss)									541,000,000	(136,000,000)	238,000,000
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders									541,000,000	(136,000,000)	238,000,000
Guarantor Subsidiary [Member]
Total revenue									31,000,000	30,000,000	78,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses									1,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000
Research and development expenses									0	0	0
Asset Impairment Charges										0
Total operating expenses									8,000,000	11,000,000	8,000,000
Income (loss) from operations									23,000,000	19,000,000	70,000,000
Interest expense									0	0	0
Other income (expense), net									3,000,000	7,000,000	3,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									26,000,000	26,000,000	73,000,000
Income tax expense (benefit)									12,000,000	71,000,000	108,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries									14,000,000	(45,000,000)	(35,000,000)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									594,000,000	225,000,000	296,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations									608,000,000	180,000,000	261,000,000
Loss (income) from discontinued operations									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									608,000,000	180,000,000	261,000,000
Net income									0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR									608,000,000	180,000,000	261,000,000
Total comprehensive income (loss)									1,158,000,000	127,000,000	346,000,000
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders									1,158,000,000	127,000,000	346,000,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Total revenue									3,648,000,000	3,354,000,000	3,311,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses									402,000,000	426,000,000	430,000,000
Research and development expenses									171,000,000	150,000,000	57,000,000
Asset Impairment Charges										17,000,000
Total operating expenses									3,266,000,000	3,061,000,000	2,994,000,000
Income (loss) from operations									382,000,000	293,000,000	317,000,000
Interest expense									(14,000,000)	(15,000,000)	(9,000,000)
Other income (expense), net									8,000,000	11,000,000	32,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									376,000,000	289,000,000	340,000,000
Income tax expense (benefit)									(257,000,000)	57,000,000	22,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earning in subsidiaries									633,000,000	232,000,000	318,000,000
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries									0	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations									633,000,000	232,000,000	318,000,000
Loss (income) from discontinued operations									(13,000,000)	(2,000,000)	0
Net income (loss)									620,000,000	230,000,000	318,000,000
Net income									0	2,000,000	3,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR									620,000,000	228,000,000	315,000,000
Total comprehensive income (loss)									595,000,000	179,000,000	317,000,000
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests									(3,000,000)	0	1,000,000
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders									598,000,000	179,000,000	316,000,000
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Total revenue									(320,000,000)	(226,000,000)	(295,000,000)
Selling, general and administrative expenses									0	0	0
Research and development expenses									0	0	0
Asset Impairment Charges										0
Total operating expenses									(320,000,000)	(226,000,000)	(295,000,000)
Income (loss) from operations									0	0	0
Interest expense									5,000,000	8,000,000	5,000,000
Other income (expense), net									(5,000,000)	(8,000,000)	(5,000,000)
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									(1,228,000,000)	(408,000,000)	(576,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations									(1,228,000,000)	(408,000,000)	(576,000,000)
Loss (income) from discontinued operations									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									(1,228,000,000)	(408,000,000)	(576,000,000)
Net income									0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR									(1,228,000,000)	(408,000,000)	(576,000,000)
Total comprehensive income (loss)									(1,756,000,000)	(306,000,000)	(662,000,000)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests									0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income attributable to NCR common stockholders									(1,756,000,000)	(306,000,000)	(662,000,000)
Product [Member]
Total revenue									2,681,000,000	2,341,000,000	2,579,000,000
Cost of products									2,146,000,000	1,988,000,000	2,021,000,000
Product [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Total revenue									1,348,000,000	1,104,000,000	1,349,000,000
Cost of products									1,170,000,000	1,027,000,000	1,077,000,000
Product [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiary [Member]
Total revenue									25,000,000	23,000,000	71,000,000
Cost of products									3,000,000	5,000,000	2,000,000
Product [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Total revenue									1,628,000,000	1,440,000,000	1,454,000,000
Cost of products									1,293,000,000	1,182,000,000	1,237,000,000
Product [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Total revenue									(320,000,000)	(226,000,000)	(295,000,000)
Cost of products									(320,000,000)	(226,000,000)	(295,000,000)
Service [Member]
Total revenue									4,234,000,000	4,064,000,000	3,937,000,000
Cost of products									2,848,000,000	2,742,000,000	2,640,000,000
Service [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Total revenue									2,208,000,000	2,143,000,000	2,073,000,000
Cost of products									1,444,000,000	1,451,000,000	1,365,000,000
Service [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiary [Member]
Total revenue									6,000,000	7,000,000	7,000,000
Cost of products									4,000,000	5,000,000	5,000,000
Service [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Total revenue									2,020,000,000	1,914,000,000	1,857,000,000
Cost of products									1,400,000,000	1,286,000,000	1,270,000,000
Service [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Total revenue									0	0	0
Cost of products									$ 0	$ 0	$ 0