Long-Term Debt and Revolving Promissory Notes (Details) (USD $)																						0 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 Qwest Communications International Inc.	Dec. 31, 2012 Qwest Communications International Inc.	Jun. 30, 2013 Qwest Corporation	Dec. 31, 2012 Qwest Corporation	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior notes Qwest Communications International Inc.	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior notes Qwest Communications International Inc.	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior notes Qwest Capital Funding	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior notes Qwest Capital Funding	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior notes Qwest Capital Funding Minimum	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior notes Qwest Capital Funding Maximum	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior notes Qwest Corporation	Dec. 31, 2012 Senior notes Qwest Corporation	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior notes Qwest Corporation Minimum	Jun. 30, 2013 Senior notes Qwest Corporation Maximum	Jun. 30, 2013 Capital lease and other obligations Qwest Corporation	Dec. 31, 2012 Capital lease and other obligations Qwest Corporation	Jun. 30, 2013 Capital lease and other obligations Qwest Communications Company, LLC	Dec. 31, 2012 Capital lease and other obligations Qwest Communications Company, LLC	Jun. 17, 2013 Floating rate notes due 2013 Qwest Corporation	May 23, 2013 6.125% Notes due 2053 Qwest Corporation	Jun. 30, 2013 Revolving promissory note Qwest Communications International Inc. CenturyLink, Inc. affiliate	Jun. 30, 2013 Revolving promissory note, two Qwest Corporation CenturyLink, Inc. affiliate
Long-term Debt
Interest Rates (as a percent)							7.125%	7.125%			6.50%	7.75%			6.125%	8.375%						6.125%
Amount outstanding							$ 800,000,000	$ 800,000,000	$ 981,000,000	$ 981,000,000			$ 7,411,000,000	$ 7,386,000,000			$ 95,000,000	$ 113,000,000	$ 130,000,000	$ 145,000,000
Unamortized premiums, net					98,000,000	127,000,000	45,000,000	49,000,000	26,000,000	27,000,000
Total long-term debt	9,586,000,000	9,628,000,000
Less current maturities	(100,000,000)	(856,000,000)
Long-term debt, excluding current maturities	9,486,000,000	8,772,000,000	845,000,000	849,000,000
Principal amount of notes issued																						775,000,000
Principal amount of debt that was sold pursuant to an over-allotment option granted to the underwriters																						25,000,000
Net proceeds from issuance of debt																						752,000,000
Redemption price as a percentage of principal amount of notes plus accrued and unpaid interest																						100.00%
Principal amount of notes repaid																					750,000,000
Maximum borrowing capacity available																							3,000,000,000	1,000,000,000
Revolving Promissory Note
Amount outstanding																							$ 1,900,000,000	$ 729,000,000
Weighted average interest rate (as a percent)																							6.665%	6.665%