Securities Sold Under Agreements to Repurchase (Repurchase Agreements Accounted for as Secured Borrowings) (Details) - OVERNIGHT AND CONTINUOUS - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Borrowings	$ 545.9	$ 567.2
Net Amount of Recognized Liabilities for Repurchase Agreements in Note 23	545.9	567.2
U.S. Treasury and Agency Securities
Transfer of Certain Financial Assets Accounted for as Secured Borrowings [Line Items]
Borrowings	$ 545.9	$ 567.2

Amount excluding accrued interest, of allowance for credit loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147479130/326-30-45-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAmortizedCostAllowanceForCreditLossExcludingAccruedInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value, as of the balance sheet date, of securities sold under agreements to repurchase where the transferor maintains effective control over the assets, accounting for them as secured debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 30
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481420/860-30-50-7

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SecuredDebtRepurchaseAgreements
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 30
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481420/860-30-50-7

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 30
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147481420/860-30-50-7

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TransferOfCertainFinancialAssetsAccountedForAsSecuredBorrowingsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsSoldUnderAgreementsToRepurchaseMaturityPeriodsAxis=ntrs_MaturityOvernightAndContinuousMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsSoldUnderAgreementsToRepurchaseAxis=ntrs_UsTreasuryAndAgenciesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: