Earnings per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016
Numerator:
Net income from continuing operations									$ 199,978		$ 221,362		$ 75,769
Income from discontinued operations	$ (15,856)	$ 29,848	$ 1,208	$ 8,487	$ 12,908	$ 11,921	$ 7,440	$ 7,709	23,687		39,978		17,036
Net income (numerator for diluted EPS)									223,665		261,340		92,805
Less: Preference stock dividend									32		36		38
Income attributable to common stockholders (numerator for basic EPS)									$ 223,633		$ 261,304		$ 92,767
Denominator:
Weighted-average shares used in basic EPS (in shares)									187,277		186,332		187,945
Dilutive effect of common stock equivalents (shares)									1,105		1,103		1,030
Weighted-average shares used in diluted EPS (in shares)									188,382		187,435		188,975
Basic earnings per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.32	$ 0.25	$ 0.25	$ 0.24	$ 0.41	$ 0.24	$ 0.22	$ 0.31	$ 1.07	[1]	$ 1.19	[1]	$ 0.40	[1]
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	(0.08)	0.16	0.01	0.05	0.07	0.06	0.04	0.04	0.13	[1]	0.21	[1]	0.09	[1]
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc. (in dollars per share)	0.24	0.41	0.26	0.29	0.48	0.31	0.26	0.35	1.19	[1]	1.40	[1]	0.49	[1]
Diluted earnings per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	0.32	0.25	0.25	0.24	0.41	0.24	0.22	0.31	1.06	[1]	1.18	[1]	0.40	[1]
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	(0.08)	0.16	0.01	0.05	0.07	0.06	0.04	0.04	0.13	[1]	0.21	[1]	0.09	[1]
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc. (in dollars per share)	$ 0.24	$ 0.41	$ 0.26	$ 0.28	$ 0.48	$ 0.31	$ 0.26	$ 0.35	$ 1.19	[1]	$ 1.39	[1]	$ 0.49	[1]
Anti-dilutive options excluded from diluted earnings per share (in shares)									12,089		10,267		8,126

[1] The sum of the earnings per share amounts may not equal the totals due to rounding.