Equity - Schedule of Equity Activity (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Equity [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	$ (245.4)	$ (202.9)
Net (loss) income	(8.5)	(9.3)
Other comprehensive loss	1.6	21.5
Share-based compensation	3.4	1.2
Issuance of share-based awards, net of withholdings and other	(0.9)	(0.9)
Cash dividends paid	(2.1)	(9.8)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(0.7)	(1.0)
Ending Balance	(250.0)	(188.3)
ASU 2016-02
Equity [Line Items]
Cumulative impact of adopting ASU, net of tax	2.6
ASU 2014-09
Equity [Line Items]
Cumulative impact of adopting ASU, net of tax		12.9
Common Stock
Equity [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	0.9	0.9
Net (loss) income	0.0	0.0
Other comprehensive loss	0.0	0.0
Share-based compensation	0.0	0.0
Issuance of share-based awards, net of withholdings and other	0.0	0.0
Cash dividends paid	0.0	0.0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0.0	0.0
Ending Balance	0.9	0.9
Common Stock | ASU 2016-02
Equity [Line Items]
Cumulative impact of adopting ASU, net of tax	0.0
Common Stock | ASU 2014-09
Equity [Line Items]
Cumulative impact of adopting ASU, net of tax		0.0
Additional Paid-in Capital
Equity [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	3,404.0	3,444.0
Net (loss) income	0.0	0.0
Other comprehensive loss	0.0	0.0
Share-based compensation	3.4	1.2
Issuance of share-based awards, net of withholdings and other	(54.7)	(32.7)
Cash dividends paid	0.0	0.0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0.0	0.0
Ending Balance	3,352.7	3,412.5
Additional Paid-in Capital | ASU 2016-02
Equity [Line Items]
Cumulative impact of adopting ASU, net of tax	0.0
Additional Paid-in Capital | ASU 2014-09
Equity [Line Items]
Cumulative impact of adopting ASU, net of tax		0.0
Treasury Stock
Equity [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	(1,285.5)	(1,333.1)
Net (loss) income	0.0	0.0
Other comprehensive loss	0.0	0.0
Share-based compensation	0.0	0.0
Issuance of share-based awards, net of withholdings and other	53.8	31.9
Cash dividends paid	0.0	0.0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0.0	0.0
Ending Balance	(1,231.7)	(1,301.2)
Treasury Stock | ASU 2016-02
Equity [Line Items]
Cumulative impact of adopting ASU, net of tax	0.0
Treasury Stock | ASU 2014-09
Equity [Line Items]
Cumulative impact of adopting ASU, net of tax		0.0
Accumulated Deficit
Equity [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	(2,225.7)	(2,225.7)
Net (loss) income	(8.8)	(9.6)
Other comprehensive loss	0.0	0.0
Share-based compensation	0.0	0.0
Issuance of share-based awards, net of withholdings and other	0.0	(0.1)
Cash dividends paid	(2.1)	(9.8)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0.0	0.0
Ending Balance	(2,234.0)	(2,232.3)
Accumulated Deficit | ASU 2016-02
Equity [Line Items]
Cumulative impact of adopting ASU, net of tax	2.6
Accumulated Deficit | ASU 2014-09
Equity [Line Items]
Cumulative impact of adopting ASU, net of tax		12.9
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Equity [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	(153.8)	(103.7)
Net (loss) income	0.0	0.0
Other comprehensive loss	1.4	21.0
Share-based compensation	0.0	0.0
Issuance of share-based awards, net of withholdings and other	0.0	0.0
Cash dividends paid	0.0	0.0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0.0	0.0
Ending Balance	(152.4)	(82.7)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss | ASU 2016-02
Equity [Line Items]
Cumulative impact of adopting ASU, net of tax	0.0
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss | ASU 2014-09
Equity [Line Items]
Cumulative impact of adopting ASU, net of tax		0.0
RRD Stockholders' Equity
Equity [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	(260.1)	(217.6)
Net (loss) income	(8.8)	(9.6)
Other comprehensive loss	1.4	21.0
Share-based compensation	3.4	1.2
Issuance of share-based awards, net of withholdings and other	(0.9)	(0.9)
Cash dividends paid	(2.1)	(9.8)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	0.0	0.0
Ending Balance	(264.5)	(202.8)
RRD Stockholders' Equity | ASU 2016-02
Equity [Line Items]
Cumulative impact of adopting ASU, net of tax	2.6
RRD Stockholders' Equity | ASU 2014-09
Equity [Line Items]
Cumulative impact of adopting ASU, net of tax		12.9
Noncontrolling Interests
Equity [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	14.7	14.7
Net (loss) income	0.3	0.3
Other comprehensive loss	0.2	0.5
Share-based compensation	0.0	0.0
Issuance of share-based awards, net of withholdings and other	0.0	0.0
Cash dividends paid	0.0	0.0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(0.7)	(1.0)
Ending Balance	14.5	14.5
Noncontrolling Interests | ASU 2016-02
Equity [Line Items]
Cumulative impact of adopting ASU, net of tax	$ 0.0
Noncontrolling Interests | ASU 2014-09
Equity [Line Items]
Cumulative impact of adopting ASU, net of tax		$ 0.0