Leases - Additional Information (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) property	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) property	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Leases [Abstract]
Number of ceased properties \| property	23	16
Accelerated lease costs	$ 35	$ 41
Gross rental expense	588	777	$ 733
Sublease income	25	25	24
Finance lease, not yet commenced	15
Gross rental income	$ 1,200	$ 1,300	$ 1,400
Rental income as percentage of operating revenue	6.00%	6.00%	7.00%

Lease, Accelerated Cost

No definition available.

Name:	lumn_LeaseAcceleratedCost
Namespace Prefix:	lumn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Lessee, Finance Lease, Lease Not Yet Commenced

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lumn_LesseeFinanceLeaseLeaseNotYetCommenced
Namespace Prefix:	lumn_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Lessee, Operating Lease, Number Of Ceased Properties

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lumn_LesseeOperatingLeaseNumberOfCeasedProperties
Namespace Prefix:	lumn_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Operating Lease, Lease Income, Percent of Operating Revenue

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	lumn_OperatingLeaseLeaseIncomePercentofOperatingRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	lumn_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LeasesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of single lease cost, calculated by allocation of remaining cost of lease over remaining lease term. Includes, but is not limited to, single lease cost, after impairment of right-of-use asset, calculated by amortization of remaining right-of-use asset and accretion of lease liability.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 53
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123414884&loc=SL77918982-209971

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123408670&loc=SL77918686-209980

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeaseCost
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of operating lease income from lease payments and variable lease payments paid and payable to lessor. Includes, but is not limited to, variable lease payments not included in measurement of lease receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124258985&loc=SL77919372-209981

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123420820&loc=SL77919311-209978

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 270
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124502072&loc=SL77927221-108306

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLeaseLeaseIncome
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of sublease income excluding finance and operating lease expense.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123408670&loc=SL77918686-209980

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 842
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 53
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123414884&loc=SL77918982-209971

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubleaseIncome
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration