Reportable Segments (Schedule Of Reportable Segments Information By Segment) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 2,038		$ 2,075		$ 5,866		$ 6,003
Depreciation	243	[1]	241	[1]	714	[1]	701	[1]
Amortization of purchased intangibles	4		3		13		10
Research, development and engineering expenses	151	[2]	137	[2]	467	[2]	416	[2]
Equity in earnings (loss) of affiliated companies	189		231		567		866
Income tax (provision) benefit	87		110		291		347
Income tax (provision) benefit	(131)		(180)		(388)		(514)
Net income (loss)	539	[3]	749	[3]	1,504	[3]	2,187	[3]
Decrease in contingent liability associated with an acquisition			22				22
Display Technologies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	763		815		2,109		2,365
Depreciation	123	[1]	131	[1]	377	[1]	378	[1]
Research, development and engineering expenses	24	[2]	21	[2]	77	[2]	73	[2]
Equity in earnings (loss) of affiliated companies	187		222		553		835
Income tax (provision) benefit	(83)		(118)		(257)		(375)
Net income (loss)	440	[3]	593	[3]	1,232	[3]	1,857	[3]
Telecommunications [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	523		560		1,590		1,582
Depreciation	34	[1]	31	[1]	98	[1]	91	[1]
Amortization of purchased intangibles	2		2		7		5
Research, development and engineering expenses	35	[2]	29	[2]	105	[2]	90	[2]
Equity in earnings (loss) of affiliated companies	1				(1)		4
Income tax (provision) benefit	(17)		(30)		(46)		(71)
Net income (loss)	35	[3]	82	[3]	92	[3]	169	[3]
Environmental Technologies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	233		247		745		764
Depreciation	30	[1]	27	[1]	87	[1]	79	[1]
Research, development and engineering expenses	23	[2]	27	[2]	75	[2]	73	[2]
Equity in earnings (loss) of affiliated companies					1		1
Income tax (provision) benefit	(13)		(15)		(50)		(44)
Net income (loss)	26	[3]	32	[3]	100	[3]	93	[3]
Specialty Materials [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	363		299		947		836
Depreciation	40	[1]	41	[1]	110	[1]	120	[1]
Research, development and engineering expenses	28	[2]	35	[2]	102	[2]	100	[2]
Equity in earnings (loss) of affiliated companies			5				13
Income tax (provision) benefit	(29)		(16)		(57)		(28)
Net income (loss)	59	[3]	38	[3]	114	[3]	69	[3]
Life Sciences [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	155		153		472		452
Depreciation	11	[1]	8	[1]	31	[1]	25	[1]
Amortization of purchased intangibles	2		1		6		5
Research, development and engineering expenses	5	[2]	3	[2]	16	[2]	12	[2]
Income tax (provision) benefit	(4)		(10)		(15)		(24)
Net income (loss)	9	[3]	21	[3]	32	[3]	51	[3]
All Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1		1		3		4
Depreciation	5	[1]	3	[1]	11	[1]	8	[1]
Research, development and engineering expenses	36	[2]	22	[2]	92	[2]	68	[2]
Equity in earnings (loss) of affiliated companies	1		4		14		13
Income tax (provision) benefit	15		9		37		28
Net income (loss)	$ (30)	[3]	$ (17)	[3]	$ (66)	[3]	$ (52)	[3]

[1] Depreciation expense for Corning's reportable segments includes an allocation of depreciation of corporate property not specifically identifiable to a segment.

[2] Research, development, and engineering expenses include direct project spending that is identifiable to a segment.

[3] Many of Corning's administrative and staff functions are performed on a centralized basis. Where practicable, Corning charges these expenses to segments based upon the extent to which each business uses a centralized function. Other staff functions, such as corporate finance, human resources and legal, are allocated to segments, primarily as a percentage of sales. In the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011, the Telecommunications segment included a credit of $22 million from the reduction to a contingent liability associated with an acquisition recorded in the first quarter of 2011.