Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Impact of Adoption - Revenue (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	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	Jan. 01, 2017
Revenue:
Revenues	$ 6,264	$ 5,665	$ 5,548	$ 5,399	$ 5,799	$ 5,301	$ 3,015	$ 3,064	$ 22,877	$ 17,179	$ 13,082
Operating income (Loss)									701	(284)	457
Net income (loss)									283	(391)	185
Net income (loss) attributable to Baker Hughes, a GE company	131	$ 13	$ (19)	$ 70	31	$ (134)	$ 0	$ 0	195	(103)	0
ASSETS
Current receivables, net	5,969				6,015				5,969	6,015
Inventories, net	4,620				4,507				4,620	4,507
Contract and other deferred assets	1,894				2,044				1,894	2,044
Deferred income taxes	1,072				715				1,072	715
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Progress collections and deferred income	1,765				1,775				1,765	1,775		$ 2,038
All other current liabilities	2,288				2,038				2,288	2,038
Deferred income taxes	143				490				143	490
All other liabilities	960				889				960	889
Baker Hughes, a GE company equity	17,465				14,277				17,465	14,277
Noncontrolling interests	$ 17,548				24,133				17,548	24,133
Goods
Revenue:
Revenues									13,113	11,062	9,462
Services
Revenue:
Revenues									$ 9,764	6,117	3,620
Accounting Standards Update 2017-07
Revenue:
Operating income (Loss)										(1)	24
Restatement adjustment | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09
Revenue:
Revenues										(80)	(187)
Operating income (Loss)										(175)	(226)
Net income (loss)										(150)	(149)
Net income (loss) attributable to Baker Hughes, a GE company										$ (30)	0
Per share amounts:
Basic and diluted loss per Class A common stock (in dollars per share)										$ (0.07)
ASSETS
Current receivables, net					1					$ 1
Inventories, net					(83)					(83)
Contract and other deferred assets					(701)					(701)
Deferred income taxes					233					233
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY
Progress collections and deferred income					394					394
All other current liabilities					(64)					(64)
Deferred income taxes					(34)					(34)
All other liabilities					(83)					(83)
Baker Hughes, a GE company equity					(432)					(432)
Noncontrolling interests					$ (331)					(331)
Restatement adjustment | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 | Goods
Revenue:
Revenues										163	(26)
Restatement adjustment | Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 | Services
Revenue:
Revenues										$ (243)	$ (161)