Benefit Plans (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Benefit Plans (Details) - USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	May 31, 2016
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Noncurrent liability	$ 1,058,000,000	$ 954,000,000
Defined Contribution Plan [Abstract]
Defined contribution plan, cost recognized	169,000,000	149,000,000	$ 153,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Benefit Obligation [Roll Forward]
Projected benefit obligation, beginning of year	3,465,000,000	3,439,000,000
Service cost	4,000,000	4,000,000
Interest cost	136,000,000	145,000,000
Actuarial loss gain	290,000,000	(169,000,000)
Benefits paid	(162,000,000)	(274,000,000)
Curtailments	(1,000,000)	0
Settlements	(13,000,000)	0
Remeasurement	0	407,000,000
Foreign currency exchange rates	44,000,000	(87,000,000)
Projected benefit obligation, end of year	3,763,000,000	3,465,000,000	3,439,000,000
Accumulated benefit obligation, end of year	3,732,000,000	3,433,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Fair value of plan assets, beginning of year	2,738,000,000	2,698,000,000
Actual return on plan assets	296,000,000	345,000,000
Employer contributions	51,000,000	74,000,000
Benefits paid	(162,000,000)	(274,000,000)
Foreign currency exchange rates	50,000,000	(105,000,000)
Settlements	(13,000,000)	0
Fair value of plan assets, end of year	2,960,000,000	2,738,000,000	2,698,000,000
Net asset (liability)	(803,000,000)	(727,000,000)
Noncurrent liability	958,000,000	837,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, before Tax [Abstract]
Net total in accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss	1,435,000,000	1,335,000,000
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Costs [Abstract]
Service cost	4,000,000	4,000,000	4,000,000
Interest cost	63,000,000	66,000,000	83,000,000
Expected return on plan assets	(60,000,000)	(64,000,000)	(90,000,000)
Amortization of prior service cost	1,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000
Amortization of net loss	14,000,000	14,000,000	17,000,000
Curtailments	(1,000,000)	0	0
Settlements	0	24,000,000	0
Net periodic benefit costs	21,000,000	45,000,000	15,000,000
Net periodic benefit costs (income), related to discontinued operations included in Other loss, net	$ 13,000,000	12,000,000	$ 5,000,000
Net periodic benefit costs, related to discontinued operations included in Discontinued operations		$ 46,000,000
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations
Discount rate (percent)	3.52%	3.96%	4.59%
Rate of compensation increase (percent)	5.62%	5.62%	5.45%
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost
Discount rate (percent)	3.96%	4.30%	4.10%
Rate of compensation increase (percent)	5.62%	5.45%	5.35%
Expected long-term return on plan assets (percent)	5.40%	5.91%	5.84%
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	$ 2,134,000,000	$ 1,991,000,000
Pooled investments	228,000,000	231,000,000
Commingled Trust Funds Measured Using NAV	661,000,000	610,000,000
Other Investments Measured Using NAV	70,000,000	56,000,000
Total Investments Measured Using NAV	959,000,000	897,000,000
Pension Plan Securities Loaned [Abstract]
Pension plan, securities loaned	113,000,000	81,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Expected Future Benefit Payment [Abstract]
2018	176,000,000
2019	177,000,000
2020	188,000,000
2021	188,000,000
2022	205,000,000
2023-2027	1,027,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Cash and cash equivalents
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	116,000,000	142,000,000
Pension Plan Securities Loaned [Abstract]
Defined Benefit Plan Assets, cash collateral for securities on loan	6,000,000	17,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Insurance contracts
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	3,000,000	15,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Common stocks
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	147,000,000	165,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| U.S. government and agency securities
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	382,000,000	262,000,000
Pension Plan Securities Loaned [Abstract]
Defined Benefit Plan Assets, securities collateral for securities on loan	109,000,000	66,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Non-U.S. government and agency securities
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	327,000,000	250,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Other fixed income securities
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	1,003,000,000	952,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Other investments
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	175,000,000	224,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Derivatives
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	(19,000,000)	(19,000,000)
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 1
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	959,000,000	922,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 1 \| Cash and cash equivalents
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	116,000,000	142,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 1 \| Insurance contracts
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	0	0
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 1 \| Common stocks
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	147,000,000	165,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 1 \| U.S. government and agency securities
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	273,000,000	209,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 1 \| Non-U.S. government and agency securities
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	327,000,000	250,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 1 \| Other fixed income securities
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	0	0
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 1 \| Other investments
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	96,000,000	156,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 1 \| Derivatives
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	0	0
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 2
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	1,175,000,000	1,069,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 2 \| Cash and cash equivalents
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	0	0
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 2 \| Insurance contracts
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	3,000,000	15,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 2 \| Common stocks
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	0	0
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 2 \| U.S. government and agency securities
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	109,000,000	53,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 2 \| Non-U.S. government and agency securities
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	0	0
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 2 \| Other fixed income securities
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	1,003,000,000	952,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 2 \| Other investments
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	79,000,000	68,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 2 \| Derivatives
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	(19,000,000)	(19,000,000)
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Level 3
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	0	0
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Time Warner Pension Plan
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Pension plan amendment benefits present value threshold				$ 50,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| The CW sub-plan
Fair Value of Plan Assets
Total	22,000,000	20,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Funded
Defined Benefit Plan Plans With Benefit Obligations In Excess Of Plan Assets
Defined benefit plan, pension plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets, projected benefit obligation	565,000,000
Defined benefit plan, pension plans with accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets, accumulated benefit obligation	565,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Unfunded
Defined Benefit Plan Plans With Benefit Obligations In Excess Of Plan Assets
Defined benefit plan, pension plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets, projected benefit obligation	426,000,000	414,000,000
Defined benefit plan, pension plans with accumulated benefit obligation in excess of plan assets, accumulated benefit obligation	$ 420,000,000	407,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Domestic \| Funded
Defined Benefit Plan, Assets, Target Allocations [Abstract]
Percent decrease of plan fixed income securities with funding level decline	5.00%
Plan funding level decline threshold	5.00%
Plan minimum fixed income investment allocation	50.00%
Percent increase of plan fixed income securities with funding level increase	5.00%
Plan funding level increase threshold	5.00%
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Domestic \| Funded \| Growth assets
Defined Benefit Plan, Assets, Target Allocations [Abstract]
Defined benefit plan, target plan asset allocations (percent)	40.00%
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Domestic \| Funded \| Growth assets \| Scenario, Plan
Defined Benefit Plan, Assets, Target Allocations [Abstract]
Defined benefit plan, target plan asset allocations (percent)	20.00%
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Domestic \| Funded \| Fixed income investments
Defined Benefit Plan, Assets, Target Allocations [Abstract]
Defined benefit plan, target plan asset allocations (percent)	60.00%
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| Domestic \| Funded \| Fixed income investments \| Scenario, Plan
Defined Benefit Plan, Assets, Target Allocations [Abstract]
Defined benefit plan, target plan asset allocations (percent)	80.00%
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| International \| Funded
Payment for Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits [Abstract]
Contributions	$ 20,000,000
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| International \| Funded \| Growth assets
Defined Benefit Plan, Assets, Target Allocations [Abstract]
Defined benefit plan, target plan asset allocations (percent)	40.00%
Defined Benefit Pension Plans \| International \| Funded \| Fixed income investments
Defined Benefit Plan, Assets, Target Allocations [Abstract]
Defined benefit plan, target plan asset allocations (percent)	60.00%
Other Postretirement Benefits Plans \| Domestic
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Benefit Obligation [Roll Forward]
Projected benefit obligation, beginning of year	$ 88,000,000
Projected benefit obligation, end of year	78,000,000	88,000,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Accumulated Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, before Tax [Abstract]
Net total in accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss	(24,000,000)	(19,000,000)
Components of Net Periodic Benefit Costs [Abstract]
Net periodic benefit costs	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 2,000,000

TIME WARNER INC. 10-K