Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017		Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015
Selected Quarterly Financial Information [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 1,049,117	$ 842,820	$ 821,371	$ 836,640	$ 887,069	$ 839,031	$ 835,886	$ 844,589	$ 3,549,948		$ 3,406,575		$ 3,578,060
Cost of revenues	564,624	401,306	382,565	374,174	400,306	376,987	372,144	365,241	1,722,669		1,514,678
Operating expenses	426,871	366,549	384,953	365,917	526,888	368,451	370,504	379,684	1,544,290		1,645,527
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	57,622	74,965	53,853	96,549	(40,125)	93,593	93,238	99,664	282,989		246,370		610,825
Provision for income taxes	(32,326)	17,607	4,952	31,416	38,204	23,197	33,394	37,024	21,649		131,819		189,778
Income from continuing operations					(78,329)	70,396	59,844	62,640	261,340		114,551		421,047
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax					(750)	(291)	(1,660)	0	0		(2,701)		5,271
Net income					(79,079)	70,105	58,184	62,640	261,340		111,850		426,318
Less: Preferred stock dividends of subsidiaries attributable to noncontrolling interests					5,264	4,593	4,594	4,594	0		19,045		18,375
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc.	89,948	57,358	48,901	65,133	(84,343)	65,512	53,590	58,046	261,340		92,805		407,943
Amounts attributable to common stockholders:
Net income from continuing operations					(83,593)	65,803	55,250	58,046	261,340		95,506		402,672
(Loss) income from discontinued operations, net of tax					(750)	(291)	(1,660)	0	0		(2,701)		5,271
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc.	$ 89,948	$ 57,358	$ 48,901	$ 65,133	$ (84,343)	$ 65,512	$ 53,590	$ 58,046	$ 261,340		$ 92,805		$ 407,943
Basic earnings per share attributable to common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)					$ (0.45)	$ 0.35	$ 0.29	$ 0.30	$ 1.40	[1]	$ 0.51	[1]	$ 2.01	[1]
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)					0.00	0.00	(0.01)	0.00	0.00	[1]	(0.01)	[1]	0.03	[1]
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc. (in dollars per share)	$ 0.48	$ 0.31	$ 0.26	$ 0.35	(0.45)	0.35	0.28	0.30	1.40	[1]	0.49	[1]	2.04	[1]
Diluted earnings per share attributable to common stockholders:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)					(0.45)	0.35	0.29	0.30	1.39	[1]	0.51	[1]	2.00	[1]
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)					0.00	0.00	(0.01)	0.00	0.00	[1]	(0.01)	[1]	0.03	[1]
Net income - Pitney Bowes Inc. (in dollars per share)	$ 0.48	$ 0.31	$ 0.26	$ 0.35	$ (0.45)	$ 0.35	$ 0.28	$ 0.30	$ 1.39	[1]	$ 0.49	[1]	$ 2.03	[1]
Compensation expense	$ 36,000
Goodwill impairment	$ 171,000								$ 0		$ 171,092		$ 0

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