Debt (Schedule of Debt) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount	$ 2,257,733	$ 2,364,513
Less: unamortized costs, net	38,214	40,675
Total debt	2,219,519	2,323,838
Less: current portion long-term debt	24,752	24,739
Long-term debt	$ 2,194,767	2,299,099
Notes due \| Notes due April 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	6.20%
Principal amount	$ 0	90,259
Notes due \| Notes due March 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	4.625%
Principal amount	$ 238,449	242,603
Notes due \| Term loan due March 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.40%
Principal amount	$ 361,000	370,500
Notes due \| Term loan due March 2026 \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	1.75%
Notes due \| Notes due March 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	6.875%
Principal amount	$ 400,000	400,000
Notes due \| Term loan due March 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	5.70%
Principal amount	$ 444,375	446,625
Notes due \| Term loan due March 2028 \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate	4.00%
Notes due \| Notes due March 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	7.25%
Principal amount	$ 350,000	350,000
Notes due \| Notes due January 2037
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	5.25%
Principal amount	$ 35,841	35,841
Notes due \| Notes due March 2043
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate	6.70%
Principal amount	$ 425,000	425,000
Other debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount	$ 3,068	$ 3,685

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1B
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466505&loc=SL123495323-112611

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unamortized debt discount (premium) and debt issuance costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 69C
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466577&loc=SL123495737-112612

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(2)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466204&loc=SL6031897-161870

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1D
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466505&loc=SL123495340-112611

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 69B
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466577&loc=SL123495735-112612

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124435984&loc=d3e28555-108399

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscountPremiumAndDebtIssuanceCostsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, excluding unamortized premium (discount) and debt issuance cost, of long-term debt. Excludes lease obligation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)(3)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466204&loc=SL6031897-161870

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 69C
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466577&loc=SL123495737-112612

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126734703&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 69B
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466577&loc=SL123495735-112612

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126897435&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 470
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1D
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123466505&loc=SL123495340-112611

Reference 7: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt, classified as current. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19,20)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, excluding unamortized premium (discount) and debt issuance cost, of long-term debt classified as noncurrent. Excludes lease obligation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_NotesPayableOtherPayablesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pbi_DebtDue2023Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pbi_DebtDue2024Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pbi_TermLoanDueMarch2026Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pbi_DebtDue2027Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pbi_TermLoanDueMarch2028Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pbi_DebtDue2029Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pbi_DebtDue2037Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=pbi_DebtDue2043Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=pbi_OtherDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: