Fair Value Measurements - Change in Fair Values of Level 3 Financial Instruments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020
Other investments
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning of Period Balance	$ 9	$ 12	$ 13	$ 12
Gains (Losses) Included in Other Comprehensive Income	0		0	0
Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings	0	0	(1)	0
Purchases	0		0	0
Sales	0		0	0
Settlements	0		0	0
Transfers Other	0		0	0
Transfers into Level 3	0		0	0
Transfers out of Level 3	0		(3)	0
End of Period Balance	9	12	9	12
Unrealized Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings	0	0	(1)	0
Other investments \| Principal investments, Direct
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning of Period Balance	1	1	1	1
Gains (Losses) Included in Other Comprehensive Income	0	0	0	0
Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings	0	0	0	0
Purchases	0	0	0	0
Sales	0	0	0	0
Settlements	0	0	0	0
Transfers Other	0	0	0	0
Transfers into Level 3	0	0	0	0
Transfers out of Level 3	0	0	0	0
End of Period Balance	1	1	1	1
Unrealized Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings	0	0	0	0
Securities available for sale \| Other securities
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning of Period Balance	22	12	13	11
Gains (Losses) Included in Other Comprehensive Income	0	0	9	1
Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings	0	0	0	0
Purchases	0	0	0	0
Sales	0	0	0	0
Settlements	0	0	0	0
Transfers Other	0		0	0
Transfers into Level 3	0	0	0	0
Transfers out of Level 3	0		0	0
End of Period Balance	22	12	22	12
Unrealized Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings	0	0	0	0
Interest rate
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning of Period Balance	35	52	56	22
Gains (Losses) Included in Other Comprehensive Income	0		0	0
Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings	(5)	(3)	(20)	18
Purchases	1	2	1	14
Sales	(1)	(4)	(7)	(5)
Settlements	0		0	0
Transfers Other	0		0	0
Transfers into Level 3	9	36	21	98
Transfers out of Level 3	(5)	(2)	(17)	(66)
End of Period Balance	34	81	34	81
Unrealized Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings	0		0	0
Credit
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning of Period Balance	(5)	(17)	(10)	(8)
Gains (Losses) Included in Other Comprehensive Income	0	0	0	0
Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings	0	4	4	(6)
Purchases	(1)	0	0	1
Sales	0	0	0
Settlements	0	0	0	0
Transfers Other	0	0	0	0
Transfers into Level 3	0	0	0	0
Transfers out of Level 3		0	0
End of Period Balance	(6)	(13)	(6)	(13)
Unrealized Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings	0	0	0	0
Other
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning of Period Balance	13	46	32	5
Gains (Losses) Included in Other Comprehensive Income	0	0	0	0
Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings	0	5	(3)	0
Purchases	0	0	0	0
Sales	0		0	0
Settlements	0	0	0	0
Transfers Other	(7)	(7)	(23)	(39)
Transfers into Level 3	0	0	0	0
Transfers out of Level 3	0		0	0
End of Period Balance	6	44	6	44
Unrealized Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings	0	0	0	0
Loans held for sale (residential)
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning of Period Balance	0	0	0	0
Gains (Losses) Included in Other Comprehensive Income	0	0	0	0
Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings	0	0	0	0
Purchases	0	0	0	0
Sales	0	0	(1)	(10)
Settlements	0	0	0	0
Transfers Other	0	1	1	(11)
Transfers into Level 3	0	0	0	0
Transfers out of Level 3	0	0	0	0
End of Period Balance	0	1	0	1
Unrealized Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings	0	0	0	0
Loans, net of unearned income (residential)
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning of Period Balance	11	5	11	4
Gains (Losses) Included in Other Comprehensive Income	0	0	0	0
Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings	0	0	0	0
Purchases	0	0	0	0
Sales	(1)	0	(2)	(2)
Settlements	0	0	0	0
Transfers Other	0	3	1	(6)
Transfers into Level 3	0	0	0	0
Transfers out of Level 3	0	0	0	0
End of Period Balance	10	8	10	8
Unrealized Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings	$ 0	0	$ 0	0
Trading account assets \| Other mortgage-backed securities
Fair Value, Net Derivative Asset (Liability) Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Roll Forward]
Beginning of Period Balance		36		0
Gains (Losses) Included in Other Comprehensive Income		0		0
Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings		0		0
Purchases		0		0
Sales		(9)		(9)
Settlements		0		0
Transfers Other		0		0
Transfers into Level 3		0		36
Transfers out of Level 3		0
End of Period Balance		27		27
Unrealized Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings		$ 0		$ 0

Fair value measurement with unobservable inputs reconciliation recurring basis asset and liabilities value.

No definition available.

Name:	key_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetAndLiabilitiesValue
Namespace Prefix:	key_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Other Transfers

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	key_FairValueMeasurementwithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisOtherTransfers
Namespace Prefix:	key_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in income from asset measured at fair value on recurring basis using unobservable input (level 3).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123874694&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetGainLossIncludedInEarnings1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in other comprehensive income (OCI) from asset measured at fair value on recurring basis using unobservable input (level 3).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123874694&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetGainLossIncludedInOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of purchases of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123874694&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetPurchases
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of purchases, (sales), issuances and (settlements) of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetPurchasesSalesIssuancesSettlements
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of sale of financial instrument classified as an asset measured using unobservable inputs that reflect the entity's own assumption about the assumptions market participants would use in pricing.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetSales
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of transfer of financial instrument classified as an asset into level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123874694&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetTransfersIntoLevel3
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of transfers of financial instrument classified as an asset out of level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123874694&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetTransfersOutOfLevel3
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of gain (loss) recognized in income from liability measured at fair value on recurring basis using unobservable input (level 3).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisLiabilityGainLossIncludedInEarnings
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis=us-gaap_OtherInvestmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=key_PrincipalDirectInvestmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InformationByCategoryOfDebtSecurityAxis=us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_OtherDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_CreditRiskContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_OtherCreditDerivativesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis=key_LoansHeldForSaleFairValueMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis=key_LoansHeldForInvestmentFairValueMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis=us-gaap_TradingAssetsExcludingDebtAndEquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_MortgageBackedSecuritiesOtherMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: