Reportable Segments (Reportable Segments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Segment net sales	$ 2,588	$ 2,986	$ 5,117	$ 5,836
Depreciation			680	658
Research, development and engineering expenses	430	249	691	498
Income tax (provision) benefit	(22)	(124)	(10)	(200)
Net income (loss) attributable to Corning Incorporated	(71)	$ 92	(167)	$ 591
Investment in affiliated companies, at equity	$ 275		$ 275		$ 291
Statutory U.S. income tax rate	21.00%	21.00%	21.00%	21.00%
Operating Segments [Member]
Segment net sales	$ 2,588	$ 2,986	$ 5,117	$ 5,836
Depreciation	293	300	589	603
Research, development and engineering expenses	181	214	390	427
Income tax (provision) benefit	(77)	(126)	(139)	(237)
Net income (loss) attributable to Corning Incorporated	288	475	524	888
Display Technologies [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment net sales	753	848	1,504	1,666
Depreciation	133	149	266	301
Research, development and engineering expenses	25	29	55	55
Income tax (provision) benefit	(41)	(55)	(81)	(110)
Net income (loss) attributable to Corning Incorporated	152	213	304	421
Optical Communications [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment net sales	887	1,090	1,678	2,154
Depreciation	62	60	124	119
Research, development and engineering expenses	52	54	107	110
Income tax (provision) benefit	(23)	(43)	(31)	(82)
Net income (loss) attributable to Corning Incorporated	81	158	110	300
Specialty Materials [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment net sales	417	369	769	678
Depreciation	38	35	80	72
Research, development and engineering expenses	33	41	74	82
Income tax (provision) benefit	(24)	(18)	(38)	(31)
Net income (loss) attributable to Corning Incorporated	90	67	141	116
Environmental Technologies [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment net sales	226	366	546	728
Depreciation	33	32	67	63
Research, development and engineering expenses	22	28	50	58
Income tax (provision) benefit		(17)	(9)	(32)
Net income (loss) attributable to Corning Incorporated		65	35	120
Life Sciences [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment net sales	243	260	501	503
Depreciation	13	12	25	25
Research, development and engineering expenses	6	5	13	10
Income tax (provision) benefit	(8)	(11)	(18)	(19)
Net income (loss) attributable to Corning Incorporated	31	40	69	71
All Other [Member] | Operating Segments [Member]
Segment net sales	62	53	119	107
Depreciation	14	12	27	23
Research, development and engineering expenses	43	57	91	112
Income tax (provision) benefit	19	18	38	37
Net income (loss) attributable to Corning Incorporated	$ (66)	$ (68)	$ (135)	$ (140)