Condensed Consolidating Supplemental Guarantor Information - Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Total revenue	$ 1,503,000,000	$ 1,536,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses	255,000,000	252,000,000
Research and development expenses	65,000,000	59,000,000
Total operating expenses	1,426,000,000	1,436,000,000
Income (loss) from operations	77,000,000	100,000,000
Interest expense	(50,000,000)	(45,000,000)
Other expense, net	(2,000,000)	(8,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	25,000,000	47,000,000
Income tax expense (benefit)	1,000,000	9,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	24,000,000	38,000,000
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	24,000,000	38,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income (loss)	24,000,000	38,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	1,000,000	1,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	23,000,000	37,000,000
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(37,000,000)	54,000,000
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	1,000,000
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	(37,000,000)	53,000,000
Product
Total revenue	474,000,000	539,000,000
Cost of revenue	391,000,000	453,000,000
Services
Total revenue	1,029,000,000	997,000,000
Cost of revenue	715,000,000	672,000,000
Eliminations
Total revenue	(51,000,000)	(46,000,000)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0
Research and development expenses	0	0
Total operating expenses	(51,000,000)	(46,000,000)
Income (loss) from operations	0	0
Interest expense	(1,000,000)	3,000,000
Other expense, net	(1,000,000)	(3,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	0	0
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	0	0
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	(150,000,000)	(225,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(150,000,000)	(225,000,000)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income (loss)	(150,000,000)	(225,000,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	(150,000,000)	(225,000,000)
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(30,000,000)	(257,000,000)
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	(30,000,000)	(257,000,000)
Eliminations | Product
Total revenue	(51,000,000)	(46,000,000)
Cost of revenue	(51,000,000)	(46,000,000)
Eliminations | Services
Total revenue	0	0
Cost of revenue	0	0
Parent Issuer
Total revenue	758,000,000	796,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses	176,000,000	140,000,000
Research and development expenses	33,000,000	33,000,000
Total operating expenses	775,000,000	782,000,000
Income (loss) from operations	(17,000,000)	14,000,000
Interest expense	(48,000,000)	(43,000,000)
Other expense, net	5,000,000	(13,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	(60,000,000)	(42,000,000)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(7,000,000)	49,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	(53,000,000)	(91,000,000)
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	76,000,000	128,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations	23,000,000	37,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income (loss)	23,000,000	37,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	23,000,000	37,000,000
Total comprehensive income (loss)	(37,000,000)	53,000,000
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	(37,000,000)	53,000,000
Parent Issuer | Product
Total revenue	211,000,000	273,000,000
Cost of revenue	177,000,000	246,000,000
Parent Issuer | Services
Total revenue	547,000,000	523,000,000
Cost of revenue	389,000,000	363,000,000
Guarantor Subsidiary
Total revenue	2,000,000	4,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0
Research and development expenses	0	0
Total operating expenses	1,000,000	1,000,000
Income (loss) from operations	1,000,000	3,000,000
Interest expense	0	0
Other expense, net	0	2,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	1,000,000	5,000,000
Income tax expense (benefit)	1,000,000	(1,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	0	6,000,000
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	74,000,000	97,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations	74,000,000	103,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income (loss)	74,000,000	103,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	74,000,000	103,000,000
Total comprehensive income (loss)	15,000,000	120,000,000
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	15,000,000	120,000,000
Guarantor Subsidiary | Product
Total revenue	1,000,000	2,000,000
Cost of revenue	0	0
Guarantor Subsidiary | Services
Total revenue	1,000,000	2,000,000
Cost of revenue	1,000,000	1,000,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Total revenue	794,000,000	782,000,000
Selling, general and administrative expenses	79,000,000	112,000,000
Research and development expenses	32,000,000	26,000,000
Total operating expenses	701,000,000	699,000,000
Income (loss) from operations	93,000,000	83,000,000
Interest expense	(3,000,000)	(5,000,000)
Other expense, net	(6,000,000)	6,000,000
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	84,000,000	84,000,000
Income tax expense (benefit)	7,000,000	(39,000,000)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before earnings in subsidiaries	77,000,000	123,000,000
Equity in earnings of consolidated subsidiaries	0	0
Income (loss) from continuing operations	77,000,000	123,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0
Net income (loss)	77,000,000	123,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	1,000,000	1,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to NCR	76,000,000	122,000,000
Total comprehensive income (loss)	15,000,000	138,000,000
Less comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	1,000,000
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to NCR	15,000,000	137,000,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Product
Total revenue	313,000,000	310,000,000
Cost of revenue	265,000,000	253,000,000
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Services
Total revenue	481,000,000	472,000,000
Cost of revenue	$ 325,000,000	$ 308,000,000