Significant Customers (Details)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011 Sharp Electronics Corporation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Sharp Electronics Corporation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 AU Optronics Corporation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 AU Optronics Corporation [Member]
Significant Customer [Line Items]
Number of significant customers	1	1	1	1
Percentage of consolidated net sales	10.00%	12.00%	11.00%	13.00%

Number of Significant Customers that are equal to or greater than 10% of the Company's consolidated total sales.

No definition available.

Name:	glw_NumberOfSignificantCustomers
Namespace Prefix:	glw_
Data Type:	xbrli:positiveIntegerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration