Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss (unaudited) (Parenthetical) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2023	Sep. 30, 2022
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
Currency translation adjustments, tax	$ 10,000,000	$ (16,000,000)	$ 1,000,000	$ (25,000,000)
Pension and other postretirement benefits, tax	0	5,000,000	(3,000,000)	13,000,000
Hedging activities, tax	2,000,000	5,000,000	3,000,000	8,000,000
Debt securities, tax	0	0	0	1,000,000
Discontinued operations, currency translation adjustments, tax	0	0	0	0
Discontinued operations, pension and other postretirement benefits, tax	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

Continuing Operation, OCI, Debt Securities, Available-for-Sale, Gain (Loss), after Adjustment, Tax

No definition available.

Name:	bax_ContinuingOperationOCIDebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleGainLossAfterAdjustmentTax
Namespace Prefix:	bax_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Continuing Operation, Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Cash Flow Hedge, Gain (Loss), after Reclassification, Tax, Parent

No definition available.

Name:	bax_ContinuingOperationOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCashFlowHedgeGainLossAfterReclassificationTaxParent
Namespace Prefix:	bax_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Continuing Operation, Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Defined Benefit Plan, after Reclassification Adjustment, Tax

No definition available.

Name:	bax_ContinuingOperationOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossDefinedBenefitPlanAfterReclassificationAdjustmentTax
Namespace Prefix:	bax_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Continuing Operation, Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment, Tax

No definition available.

Name:	bax_ContinuingOperationOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossForeignCurrencyTranslationAdjustmentTax
Namespace Prefix:	bax_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Discontinued Operation, Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment, Tax

No definition available.

Name:	bax_DiscontinuedOperationOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossForeignCurrencyTranslationAdjustmentTax
Namespace Prefix:	bax_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Discontinued Operations, Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Defined Benefit Plan, after Reclassification Adjustment, Tax

No definition available.

Name:	bax_DiscontinuedOperationsOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossDefinedBenefitPlanAfterReclassificationAdjustmentTax
Namespace Prefix:	bax_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

No definition available.

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