CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Common stock	Common stock in treasury	Additional contributed capital	Retained earnings	Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	Total Baxter stockholders' equity	Noncontrolling interests
Beginning of year (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020		683,000,000
Beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 8,726	$ 683	$ (11,051)	$ 6,043	$ 16,328	$ (3,314)	$ 8,689	$ 37
Beginning of year (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020			179,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	1,295				1,284		1,284	11
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$ (66)					(66)	(66)
Purchases of common stock (in shares)	7,300,000		7,000,000
Purchases of treasury stock	$ (600)		$ (600)				(600)
Stock issued under employee benefit plans and other (in shares)			(4,000,000)
Stock issued under employee benefit plans and other	317		$ 163	154			317
Dividends declared on common stock	(547)				(547)		(547)
Change in noncontrolling interests	(4)							(4)
End of year (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021		683,000,000
End of year at Dec. 31, 2021	9,121	$ 683	$ (11,488)	6,197	17,065	(3,380)	9,077	44
End of year (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021			182,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	(2,421)				(2,433)		(2,433)	12
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$ (458)					(453)	(453)	(5)
Purchases of common stock (in shares)	500,000		0
Purchases of treasury stock	$ (32)		$ (32)				(32)
Stock issued under employee benefit plans and other (in shares)			(3,000,000)
Stock issued under employee benefit plans and other	256		$ 131	125			256
Dividends declared on common stock	(582)				(582)		(582)
Change in noncontrolling interests	11							11
End of year (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2022		683,000,000
End of year at Dec. 31, 2022	$ 5,895	$ 683	$ (11,389)	6,322	14,050	(3,833)	5,833	62
End of year (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2022	179,062,594		179,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	$ 2,663				2,656		2,656	7
Other comprehensive income (loss)	276					279	279	(3)
Stock issued under employee benefit plans and other (in shares)			(3,000,000)
Stock issued under employee benefit plans and other	226		$ 159	67			226
Dividends declared on common stock	(592)				(592)		(592)
End of year (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2023		683,000,000
End of year at Dec. 31, 2023	$ 8,468	$ 683	$ (11,230)	$ 6,389	$ 16,114	$ (3,554)	$ 8,402	$ 66
End of year (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2023	175,861,893		176,000,000