Note 17 - Shareholders' Equity - Changes in Capital Stock (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	10 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Balance, common stock shares (in shares)			1,681,000,000
Balance, common stock par value			$ 840,000
Balance, treasury stock shares (in shares)			(551,000,000)
Balance, treasury stock cost			$ (9,725,000)
Shares issued to benefit plans and for option exercises			$ 182,000	$ 149,000		$ 264,000
Shares purchased for treasury, treasury stock shares (in shares)	(98,100,000)		(197,100,000)	(167,000,000)
Purchase of common stock for treasury	$ (2,000,000)		$ (4,244,000)	$ (3,228,000)		(2,483,000)
Other, net			$ (28,000)	$ (25,000)		$ (7,000)
Balance, common stock shares (in shares)			1,691,000,000	1,681,000,000
Balance, common stock par value			$ 846,000	$ 840,000
Balance, treasury stock shares (in shares)			(765,000,000)	(551,000,000)
Balance, treasury stock cost			$ (14,152,000)	$ (9,725,000)
Common Stock [Member]
Balance, common stock shares (in shares)			1,681,000,000	1,672,000,000	[1]	1,661,000,000
Balance, common stock par value			$ 840,000	$ 836,000	[1]	$ 831,000
Shares issued to benefit plans and for option exercises, common stock shares (in shares)			10,000,000	9,000,000		11,000,000
Shares issued to benefit plans and for option exercises			$ 6,000	$ 4,000		$ 5,000
Balance, common stock shares (in shares)	1,672,000,000	[1]	1,691,000,000	1,681,000,000		1,672,000,000	[1]
Balance, common stock par value	$ 836,000	[1]	$ 846,000	$ 840,000		$ 836,000	[1]
Treasury Stock [Member]
Balance, treasury stock shares (in shares)			(551,000,000)	(398,000,000)	[1]	(262,000,000)
Balance, treasury stock cost			$ (9,725,000)	$ (6,727,000)	[1]	$ (4,099,000)
Shares issued to benefit plans and for option exercises			$ (2,000)	$ (1,000)		$ (2,000)
Shares purchased for treasury, treasury stock shares (in shares)			(214,000,000)	(151,000,000)		(135,000,000)
Purchase of common stock for treasury			$ (4,409,000)	$ (2,978,000)		$ (2,612,000)
Other, net, treasury stock shares (in shares)				(2,000,000)		(1,000,000)
Other, net			$ (16,000)	$ (19,000)		$ (14,000)
Balance, treasury stock shares (in shares)	(398,000,000)	[1]	(765,000,000)	(551,000,000)		(398,000,000)	[1]
Balance, treasury stock cost	$ (6,727,000)	[1]	$ (14,152,000)	$ (9,725,000)		$ (6,727,000)	[1]

[1] On January 15, 2014, in conjunction with the acquisition of Corning Precision Materials, Corning issued 2,300 Fixed Rate Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, Series A ("Preferred Stock"), par value $100 per share, at an issue price of $1 million per share, for an aggregate issue price of $2.3 billion. There have been no further issuances or conversions of Preferred Stock since 2014.