Employee Benefits - Postretirement Estimated Future Benefit Payments (Detail) - Other Postretirement Plan $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($)
Schedule of Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Expected Benefit Payments [Line Items]
2023	$ 1.2
2024	1.1
2025	1.1
2026	1.0
2027	0.9
2028-2032	$ 3.8

Schedule of Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Expected Benefit Payments [Line Items]

No definition available.

Name:	ntrs_ScheduleOfPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitsExpectedBenefitPaymentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	ntrs_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of benefit for defined benefit plan expected to be paid in five fiscal years after fifth fiscal year following current fiscal year.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123447040&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsFiveFiscalYearsThereafter
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of benefit for defined benefit plan expected to be paid in next fiscal year following current fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsNextTwelveMonths
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of benefit for defined benefit plan expected to be paid in fifth fiscal year following current fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearFive
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of benefit for defined benefit plan expected to be paid in fourth fiscal year following current fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearFour
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of benefit for defined benefit plan expected to be paid in third fiscal year following current fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearThree
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of benefit for defined benefit plan expected to be paid in second fiscal year following current fiscal year.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanExpectedFutureBenefitPaymentsYearTwo
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RetirementPlanTypeAxis=us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPostretirementHealthCoverageMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: