Segment Information - Financial Information Related to Company's Reportable Segments (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 5,444	$ 5,779	$ 11,020	$ 11,243
Segment EBITA	617	664	1,240	1,247
Corporate expenses	(118)	(167)	(236)	(303)
Amortization of intangible assets	(97)	(98)	(193)	(195)
Restructuring and impairment costs	(62)	0	(173)	0
Net mark-to-market adjustments	(32)	20	(22)	(1)
Net financing charges	(59)	(98)	(111)	(183)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	249	321	505	565
Building Solutions North America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	2,175	2,187	4,342	4,303
Segment EBITA	251	257	509	507
Building Solutions EMEA/LA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	850	878	1,778	1,785
Segment EBITA	85	80	175	157
Building Solutions Asia Pacific
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	525	628	1,154	1,241
Segment EBITA	65	76	137	142
Global Products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,894	2,086	3,746	3,914
Segment EBITA	$ 216	$ 251	$ 419	$ 441

Equity Securities, FV-NI, Unrealized Gain (Loss) Restricted

No definition available.

Name:	jci_EquitySecuritiesFVNIUnrealizedGainLossRestricted
Namespace Prefix:	jci_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

General expenses recorded at the Corporate segment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	jci_Generalcorporateexpenses
Namespace Prefix:	jci_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Net financing charges includes interest expense, interest income, bank fees and amortization of debt issuance costs.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	jci_NetFinancingCharges
Namespace Prefix:	jci_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of income or loss from continuing operations before income taxes and noncontrolling interests, excluding general corporate expenses, intangible asset amortization, net financing charges, significant restructuring and impairment costs, and net mark-to-market adjustments on pension and postretirement plans.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	jci_SegmentEBITA
Namespace Prefix:	jci_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate expense charged against earnings to allocate the cost of intangible assets (nonphysical assets not used in production) in a systematic and rational manner to the periods expected to benefit from such assets. As a noncash expense, this element is added back to net income when calculating cash provided by or used in operations using the indirect method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16323-109275

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388964&loc=d3e16225-109274

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of income (loss) from continuing operations, including income (loss) from equity method investments, before deduction of income tax expense (benefit), and income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 940
-SubTopic 20
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68072869&loc=d3e41242-110953

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(10))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04(8))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116637232&loc=SL114874131-224263

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 250
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109234566&loc=d3e22694-107794

Reference 5: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04(15))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116637391&loc=SL114874048-224260

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of expenses associated with exit or disposal activities pursuant to an authorized plan. Excludes expenses related to a discontinued operation or an asset retirement obligation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 420
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.P.3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115931487&loc=d3e140864-122747

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 420
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6394359&loc=d3e17939-110869

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 420
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.P.4(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115931487&loc=d3e140904-122747

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118956577&loc=SL49130543-203045

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118956577&loc=SL49130545-203045

+ Details

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

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=jci_BuildingSolutionsNorthAmericaMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=jci_BuildingSolutionsEMEALAMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=jci_BuildingSolutionsAsiaPacificMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=jci_GlobalProductsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: