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Goodwill and intangible assets - Summary of movements of goodwill and intangible assets (Details) - USD ($) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | $ 10,231,000,000 |  |
Amortization charge | 1,078,000,000 | $ 1,084,000,000 | $ 1,019,000,000
Impairment charges on intangible assets | (167,000,000) | 0 | (378,000,000)
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 9,097,000,000 | 10,231,000,000 |
Gross carrying amount [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 20,088,000,000 | 19,492,000,000 |
Impact of business combinations |  | 505,000,000 |
Additions | 120,000,000 | 132,000,000 |
Reclassifications |  | 0 |
Disposals and derecognitions | (176,000,000) | (41,000,000) |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 20,032,000,000 | 20,088,000,000 | 19,492,000,000
Accumulated depreciation and amortisation [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | (9,857,000,000) | (8,813,000,000) |
Amortization charge | (1,078,000,000) | (1,084,000,000) |
Disposals and derecognitions | 167,000,000 | 40,000,000 |
Impairment charges on intangible assets | (167,000,000) |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | (10,935,000,000) | (9,857,000,000) | (8,813,000,000)
Goodwill [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 8,905,000,000 |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 8,905,000,000 | 8,905,000,000 |
Goodwill [member] | Gross carrying amount [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 8,905,000,000 | 8,899,000,000 |
Impact of business combinations |  | 6,000,000 |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 8,905,000,000 | 8,905,000,000 | 8,899,000,000
Goodwill [member] | Accumulated depreciation and amortisation [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 0 | 0 |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 0 | 0 | 0
Alcon brand name [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 2,980,000,000 |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 2,980,000,000 | 2,980,000,000 |
Alcon brand name [member] | Gross carrying amount [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 2,980,000,000 | 2,980,000,000 |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 2,980,000,000 | 2,980,000,000 | 2,980,000,000
Alcon brand name [member] | Accumulated depreciation and amortisation [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 0 | 0 |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 0 | 0 | 0
Acquired research & development [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 725,000,000 |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 727,000,000 | 725,000,000 |
Acquired research & development [member] | Gross carrying amount [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 728,000,000 | 249,000,000 |
Impact of business combinations |  | 505,000,000 |
Additions | 2,000,000 | 7,000,000 |
Reclassifications |  | (33,000,000) |
Disposals and derecognitions | (3,000,000) |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 727,000,000 | 728,000,000 | 249,000,000
Acquired research & development [member] | Accumulated depreciation and amortisation [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | (3,000,000) | (3,000,000) |
Disposals and derecognitions | 3,000,000 |  |
Impairment charges on intangible assets | 0 |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 0 | (3,000,000) | (3,000,000)
Technologies [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 677,000,000 |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 170,000,000 | 677,000,000 |
Technologies [member] | Gross carrying amount [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 5,369,000,000 | 5,369,000,000 |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 5,369,000,000 | 5,369,000,000 | 5,369,000,000
Technologies [member] | Accumulated depreciation and amortisation [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | (4,692,000,000) | (4,184,000,000) |
Amortization charge | (507,000,000) | (508,000,000) |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | (5,199,000,000) | (4,692,000,000) | (4,184,000,000)
Currently marketed products [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 1,598,000,000 |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 1,243,000,000 | 1,598,000,000 |
Currently marketed products [member] | Gross carrying amount [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 4,440,000,000 | 4,440,000,000 |
Additions | 0 |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 4,440,000,000 | 4,440,000,000 | 4,440,000,000
Currently marketed products [member] | Accumulated depreciation and amortisation [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | (2,842,000,000) | (2,592,000,000) |
Amortization charge | (249,000,000) | (250,000,000) |
Impairment charges on intangible assets | (106,000,000) |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | (3,197,000,000) | (2,842,000,000) | (2,592,000,000)
Marketing know-how [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 3,814,000,000 |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 3,576,000,000 | 3,814,000,000 |
Marketing know-how [member] | Gross carrying amount [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 5,960,000,000 | 5,960,000,000 |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 5,960,000,000 | 5,960,000,000 | 5,960,000,000
Marketing know-how [member] | Accumulated depreciation and amortisation [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | (2,146,000,000) | (1,906,000,000) |
Amortization charge | (238,000,000) | (240,000,000) |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | (2,384,000,000) | (2,146,000,000) | (1,906,000,000)
Other intangible assets (including software) [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 437,000,000 |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 401,000,000 | 437,000,000 |
Other intangible assets (including software) [member] | Gross carrying amount [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | 611,000,000 | 494,000,000 |
Additions | 118,000,000 | 125,000,000 |
Reclassifications |  | 33,000,000 |
Disposals and derecognitions | (173,000,000) | (41,000,000) |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | 556,000,000 | 611,000,000 | 494,000,000
Other intangible assets (including software) [member] | Accumulated depreciation and amortisation [member] |  |  |
Reconciliation of changes in intangible assets and goodwill [abstract] |  |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at beginning of period | (174,000,000) | (128,000,000) |
Amortization charge | (84,000,000) | (86,000,000) |
Disposals and derecognitions | 164,000,000 | 40,000,000 |
Impairment charges on intangible assets | (61,000,000) |  |
Intangible assets and goodwill at end of period | $ (155,000,000) | $ (174,000,000) | $ (128,000,000)

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- Definition The increase in intangible assets and goodwill resulting from acquisitions through business combinations. [Refer: Business combinations [member]; Intangible assets and goodwill] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Name IAS -Number 38 -IssueDate 2020-01-01 -Paragraph 118 -Subparagraph e -Clause i -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=38&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_118_e_i&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2020-01-01 + Details
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- Definition The amount of additions to intangible assets other than goodwill, other than those acquired through business combinations. [Refer: Business combinations [member]; Intangible assets other than goodwill] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 38 -IssueDate 2020-01-01 -Paragraph 118 -Subparagraph e -Clause i -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=38&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_118_e_i&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2020-01-01 + Details
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- Definition The decrease in intangible assets other than goodwill resulting from disposals. [Refer: Intangible assets other than goodwill] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 38 -IssueDate 2020-01-01 -Paragraph 118 -Subparagraph e -Clause ii -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=38&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_118_e_ii&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2020-01-01 + Details
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- Definition The amount of impairment loss recognised in profit or loss for intangible assets other than goodwill. [Refer: Impairment loss recognised in profit or loss; Intangible assets other than goodwill] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 38 -IssueDate 2020-01-01 -Paragraph 118 -Subparagraph e -Clause iv -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=38&code=ifrs-tx-2020-en-r&anchor=para_118_e_iv&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2020-01-01 + Details
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