Consolidated Statement Of Changes In Equity - USD ($)	Total	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	Common Stock Issued	Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings	Retained Earnings Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	Common Stock Held In Treasury, At Cost	Total International Paper Shareholders’ Equity	Total International Paper Shareholders’ Equity Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 6,541,000,000	$ 73,000,000	$ 449,000,000	$ 6,206,000,000	$ 6,180,000,000	$ 73,000,000	$ (4,633,000,000)		$ 1,680,000,000	$ 6,522,000,000	$ 73,000,000	$ 19,000,000
Issuance of stock for various plans, net	142,000,000			62,000,000					(80,000,000)	142,000,000
Repurchase of stock	(732,000,000)								732,000,000	(732,000,000)
Dividends	(800,000,000)				(800,000,000)					(800,000,000)
Transactions of equity method investees	12,000,000			12,000,000						12,000,000		0
Comprehensive income (loss)	2,147,000,000		0	0	2,012,000,000		133,000,000		0	2,145,000,000		2,000,000
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	7,383,000,000	0	449,000,000	6,280,000,000	7,465,000,000	529,000,000	(4,500,000,000)	$ (529,000,000)	2,332,000,000	7,362,000,000	0	21,000,000
Issuance of stock for various plans, net	147,000,000			(18,000,000)					(165,000,000)	147,000,000
Repurchase of stock	(535,000,000)								535,000,000	(535,000,000)
Dividends	(811,000,000)				(811,000,000)					(811,000,000)
Transactions of equity method investees	35,000,000			35,000,000						35,000,000		0
Divestiture of noncontrolling interests	(11,000,000)									0		(11,000,000)
Comprehensive income (loss)	1,510,000,000		0	0	1,225,000,000		290,000,000		0	1,515,000,000		(5,000,000)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2019	7,718,000,000	$ (2,000,000)	449,000,000	6,297,000,000	8,408,000,000	$ (2,000,000)	(4,739,000,000)		2,702,000,000	7,713,000,000	$ (2,000,000)	5,000,000
Issuance of stock for various plans, net	88,000,000			(8,000,000)					(96,000,000)	88,000,000
Repurchase of stock	(42,000,000)								42,000,000	(42,000,000)
Dividends	(818,000,000)				(818,000,000)					(818,000,000)
Transactions of equity method investees	36,000,000			36,000,000						36,000,000		0
Divestiture of noncontrolling interests	9,000,000									0		9,000,000
Comprehensive income (loss)	879,000,000		0	0	482,000,000		397,000,000		0	879,000,000		0
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 7,868,000,000		$ 449,000,000	$ 6,325,000,000	$ 8,070,000,000		$ (4,342,000,000)		$ 2,648,000,000	$ 7,854,000,000		$ 14,000,000