Income Taxes - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2017
Income Taxes
Percent of pre-tax income derived from foreign sources	106.00%	100.00%	67.00%
Undistributed foreign earnings	$ 642.0
Deferred tax liabilities, undistributed foreign earnings	541.0			$ 800.0
Payment of deferred tax liabilities undistributed foreign earnings	63.4	$ 64.0	$ 64.0
Unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate	333.2	329.2
Total tax contingency reserve	318.6
Interest and penalties, recognized	4.4	1.9	$ 6.0
Interest and penalties, accrued	32.8	$ 28.6
Reasonably possible decrease to the Company's total unrecognized tax benefits during the next 12 months	$ 55.0

Amount of decrease reasonably possible in the next twelve months for the unrecognized tax benefit.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (d)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32718-109319

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from undistributed earnings of subsidiary and other recognized entity not within country of domicile. Includes, but is not limited to, other basis differences.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32621-109319

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries intended to be permanently reinvested outside the country of domicile.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 740
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6487024&loc=d3e29054-158556

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6424122&loc=d3e41874-109331

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 740
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479915&loc=d3e66715-112838

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123452999&loc=d3e28200-109314

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount accrued for interest on an underpayment of income taxes and penalties related to a tax position claimed or expected to be claimed in the tax return.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=d3e32718-109319

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of expense for interest on an underpayment of income taxes and penalties related to a tax position claimed or expected to be claimed in the tax return.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121826272&loc=SL6600010-109319

+ Details

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

- Definition

This amount represents the installment payments of Deferred Tax Liabilities of undistributed foreign earnings

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wu_PaymentOfDeferredTaxLiabilitiesUndistributedForeignEarnings
Namespace Prefix:	wu_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage of pre tax income derived from foreign sources concentration risk.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wu_PercentageOfPreTaxIncomeDerivedFromForeignSourcesConcentrationRisk
Namespace Prefix:	wu_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Tax Contingency Reserves, including interest and penalties, net of related items

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wu_TaxContingencyReserves
Namespace Prefix:	wu_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant