Earnings per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015		Sep. 30, 2015		Jun. 30, 2015		Mar. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Sep. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2014		Mar. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Amounts attributable to common stockholders:
Net income from continuing operations	$ 80,426		$ 89,282		$ 152,509		$ 80,455		$ 58,952		$ 111,634		$ 87,548		$ 41,872		$ 402,672		$ 300,006		$ 287,612
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	$ 5,853		$ 0		$ (739)		$ 157		$ 3,576		$ 20,655		$ 6,717		$ 2,801		5,271		33,749		(144,777)
Net income (numerator for diluted EPS)																	407,943		333,755		142,835
Less: Preference stock dividend																	41		44		46
Income attributable to common stockholders (numerator for basic EPS)																	$ 407,902		$ 333,711		$ 142,789
Denominator (in thousands):
Weighted-average shares used in basic EPS (in shares)																	199,835		201,992		201,614
Preferred stock (in shares)																	1		1		2
Preference stock (in shares)																	321		344		381
Stock plans (in shares)																	788		1,624		960
Weighted-average shares used in diluted EPS (in shares)																	200,945		203,961		202,957
Basic earnings per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.40	[1]	$ 0.45	[1]	$ 0.76	[1]	$ 0.40	[1]	$ 0.29	[1]	$ 0.55	[1]	$ 0.43	[1]	$ 0.21	[1]	$ 2.01	[1],[2]	$ 1.49	[1],[2]	$ 1.43	[2]
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.03	[1]	0.00	[1]	0.00	[1]	0.00	[1]	0.02	[1]	0.10	[1]	0.03	[1]	0.01	[1]	0.03	[1],[2]	0.17	[1],[2]	(0.72)	[2]
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc. (in dollars per share)	0.43	[1]	0.45	[1]	0.75	[1]	0.40	[1]	0.31	[1]	0.65	[1]	0.47	[1]	0.22	[1]	2.04	[1],[2]	1.65	[1],[2]	0.71	[2]
Diluted earnings per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	0.41	[1]	0.44	[1]	0.75	[1]	0.40	[1]	0.29	[1]	0.55	[1]	0.43	[1]	0.21	[1]	2.00	[1],[2]	1.47	[1],[2]	1.42	[2]
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.03	[1]	0.00	[1]	0.00	[1]	0.00	[1]	0.02	[1]	0.10	[1]	0.03	[1]	0.01	[1]	0.03	[1],[2]	0.17	[1],[2]	(0.71)	[2]
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc. (in dollars per share)	$ 0.44	[1]	$ 0.44	[1]	$ 0.75	[1]	$ 0.40	[1]	$ 0.31	[1]	$ 0.65	[1]	$ 0.46	[1]	$ 0.22	[1]	$ 2.03	[1],[2]	$ 1.64	[1],[2]	$ 0.70	[2]
Anti-dilutive options excluded from diluted earnings per share (in shares)																	8,079		7,322		12,448

[1] The sum of the earnings per share amounts may not equal the totals due to rounding.

[2] The sum of the earnings per share amounts may not equal the totals due to rounding.