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Postretirement Benefit Plans - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Dec. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Defined Benefit Plans And Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]      
Description of defined contribution plans Both defined contribution plans offer an employer-matching savings option that allows employees to make pre-tax contributions to various investment choices. Employees who elected to continue accruing a benefit in the qualified defined benefit pension plans may also participate in the defined contribution plan, where employer-matching contributions are provided for up to 2 percent of the employee’s annual eligible earnings. Employees who elected not to continue accruing a benefit in the defined benefit pension plans, and employees hired after November 1997 and through December 31, 2003, may participate in the enhanced defined contribution plan. This plan provides for a fixed employer contribution of 2 percent of the employee’s annual eligible earnings, plus an employer-matching contribution of up to 4 percent of the employee’s annual eligible earnings. Employees hired after December 31, 2003, do not receive the fixed employer contribution of 2 percent of the employee’s annual eligible earnings.    
Defined benefit pension plan formula, highest consecutive years of compensation (in years) 5 years    
Value of the company shares held by the non-U.S. retirement plans at year-end $ 20,000,000 $ 17,000,000  
Length of time certain gains and losses are considered when determining the market-related value of assets related to the U.S. Qualified pension and retiree health care plans (in years) 3 years    
Expected contribution to retirement benefit plans in next fiscal year $ 100,000,000    
Defined benefit plan assets directly invested in TI common stock 0    
Effect of a one-percentage point change in assumed health care cost trend rates [Abstract]      
Liability to participants of the deferred compensation plan $ 218,000,000    
Deferred compensation plan assets 201,000,000    
U.S. defined benefit plan      
Defined Benefit Plans And Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]      
Accumulated benefit obligation 926,000,000 948,000,000  
Future amortization of net actuarial loss 15,000,000    
Future amortization of unrecognized prior service credit 0    
Non-U.S. defined benefit plan      
Defined Benefit Plans And Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]      
Accumulated benefit obligation 2,220,000,000 $ 2,090,000,000  
Future amortization of net actuarial loss 27,000,000    
Future amortization of unrecognized prior service credit (2,000,000)    
U.S. retiree health care plan      
Defined Benefit Plans And Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]      
Future amortization of net actuarial loss 4,000,000    
Future amortization of unrecognized prior service credit (4,000,000)    
Effect of a one-percentage point change in assumed health care cost trend rates [Abstract]      
Effect of a one percentage point increase on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (in hundredths) 2,000,000    
Effect of a one percentage point decrease on accumulated postretirement benefit obligation (in hundredths) 2,000,000    
U.S. retiree health care plan | Maximum      
Effect of a one-percentage point change in assumed health care cost trend rates [Abstract]      
Effect of a one percentage point increase on service and interest cost components (in hundredths) 1,000,000    
Effect of a one percentage point decrease on service and interest cost components (in hundredths) $ 1,000,000    
United States      
Defined Benefit Plans And Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]      
Number of company shares held by the U.S. defined contribution plans at year-end (in shares) 11,000,000 13,000,000  
Value of the company shares held by the U.S. defined contribution plans at year-end $ 796,000,000 $ 704,000,000  
Dividends paid on the company shares held by the U.S. defined contribution plans at year-end 20,000,000 19,000,000  
Aggregate expense for the U.S. defined contribution plans $ 60,000,000 $ 60,000,000 $ 60,000,000
Defined contribution plan, also still accruing defined benefits      
Defined Benefit Plans And Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]      
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution (percent) 2.00%    
Enhanced defined contribution plan      
Defined Benefit Plans And Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]      
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution (percent) 4.00%    
Defined contribution plan, employer fixed contribution (percent) 2.00%    
Defined contribution plan      
Defined Benefit Plans And Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]      
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution (percent) 4.00%