Note 20 - Reportable Segments (Details) - Reportable Segments - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales		$ 2,231	$ 2,272	$ 2,343	$ 2,265	$ 2,404	$ 2,540	$ 2,482	$ 2,289	$ 9,111	[1]	$ 9,715	[1]	$ 7,819	[1]
Depreciation										1,130		1,167		971
Amortization of purchased intangibles										54		33		31
Research, development and engineering expenses										769		815		710
Restructuring, impairment & other charges												71		67
Equity in earnings of affiliated companies		104	39	62	94	23	95	62	86	299		266		547
Income tax (provision) benefit		55	(6)	(110)	(86)	(349)	(395)	(172)	(180)	(147)		(1,096)		(512)
Net income (loss)		224	$ 212	$ 496	$ 407	988	$ 1,014	$ 169	$ 301	1,339		2,472		1,961
Investment in affiliated companies, at equity		1,905				1,777				1,905		1,777
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales										9,111		9,715		7,819
Depreciation	[2]									1,108		1,153		960
Amortization of purchased intangibles										53		32		31
Research, development and engineering expenses	[3]									658		709		593
Restructuring, impairment & other charges										15		68		51
Equity in earnings of affiliated companies										8				340	[4]
Income tax (provision) benefit										(718)		(833)		(559)
Net income (loss)	[5]									1,519		1,775		1,693
Investment in affiliated companies, at equity		337				311				337		311		3,942
Segment assets	[6]	14,074				14,256				14,074		14,256		14,691
Capital expenditures										1,059		1,045		819
Display Technologies [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales										3,086		3,851		2,545
Depreciation	[2]									605		676		481
Research, development and engineering expenses	[3]									105		138		84
Restructuring, impairment & other charges												45		7
Equity in earnings of affiliated companies										(9)		(20)		357	[4]
Income tax (provision) benefit										(499)		(608)		(337)
Net income (loss)	[5]									1,095		1,396		1,293
Investment in affiliated companies, at equity		43				63				43		63		3,666
Segment assets	[6]	8,344				8,863				8,344		8,863		9,501
Capital expenditures										594		492		350
Optical Communications [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales										2,980		2,652		2,326
Depreciation	[2]									163		154		147
Amortization of purchased intangibles										32		10		10
Research, development and engineering expenses	[3]									138		141		140
Restructuring, impairment & other charges										(1)		17		12
Equity in earnings of affiliated companies	[4]													2
Income tax (provision) benefit										(115)		(111)		(96)
Net income (loss)	[5]									237		194		189
Investment in affiliated companies, at equity		1				2				1		2		3
Segment assets	[6]	1,783				1,737				1,783		1,737		1,654
Capital expenditures										171		145		105
Environmental Technologies [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales										1,053		1,092		919
Depreciation	[2]									125		119		120
Research, development and engineering expenses	[3]									93		91		89
Restructuring, impairment & other charges														1
Equity in earnings of affiliated companies												2		1	[4]
Income tax (provision) benefit										(78)		(89)		(63)
Net income (loss)	[5]									161		178		127
Investment in affiliated companies, at equity		32				32				32		32		31
Segment assets	[6]	1,288				1,297				1,288		1,297		1,230
Capital expenditures										117		173		196
Specialty Materials [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales										1,107		1,205		1,170
Depreciation	[2]									112		113		137
Research, development and engineering expenses	[3]									113		140		144
Restructuring, impairment & other charges										16		(1)		19
Equity in earnings of affiliated companies	[4]													4
Income tax (provision) benefit										(85)		(75)		(88)
Net income (loss)	[5]									167		138		181
Investment in affiliated companies, at equity														10
Segment assets	[6]	1,407				1,288				1,407		1,288		1,333
Capital expenditures										88		104		62
Life Sciences [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales										821		862		851
Depreciation	[2]									60		60		57
Amortization of purchased intangibles										20		22		21
Research, development and engineering expenses	[3]									23		22		20
Restructuring, impairment & other charges												1		4
Income tax (provision) benefit										(30)		(33)		(34)
Net income (loss)	[5]									61		67		68
Segment assets	[6]	514				553				514		553		551
Capital expenditures										32		30		51
Other Segments [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales										64		53		8
Depreciation	[2]									43		31		18
Amortization of purchased intangibles										1
Research, development and engineering expenses	[3]									186		177		116
Restructuring, impairment & other charges												6		8
Equity in earnings of affiliated companies										17		18		(24)	[4]
Income tax (provision) benefit										89		83		59
Net income (loss)	[5]									(202)		(198)		(165)
Investment in affiliated companies, at equity		261				214				261		214		232
Segment assets	[6]	$ 738				$ 518				738		518		422
Capital expenditures										$ 57		$ 101		$ 55

[1] Net sales are attributed to countries based on location of customer.

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

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

[4] In 2013, equity in earnings of affiliated companies in the Display Technologies segment included a $28 million restructuring charge for our share of costs for headcount reductions and asset write-offs.

[5] 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.

[6] Segment assets include inventory, accounts receivable, property, plant and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation, and associated equity companies and cost investments.