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Business Combination and Divestitures - Narrative (Details) € / shares in Units, $ / shares in Units, € in Millions, $ in Millions							3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			24 Months Ended
	Jul. 12, 2019 USD ($)	Mar. 01, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 03, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 03, 2018 EUR (€)	Oct. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2018 EUR (€) € / shares	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 € / shares	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 € / shares	Dec. 16, 2019 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 03, 2018 EUR (€)	Oct. 31, 2018 $ / shares	Dec. 05, 2017
Business Acquisition, Equity Interests Issued or Issuable [Line Items]
Ordinary shares, par value (eur per share) | € / shares						€ 0.001						€ 0.001		€ 0.001
Gain on sale of business before tax										$ 3,294
Gain on sale of business after tax								$ 0	$ 108	2,923
Income before taxes								3,384	2,927	5,049
Income after tax								2,626	2,379	4,402
Gain on sale of business after tax										2,923
Net gain on sale of businesses								0	164	3,294
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired								$ 68	$ 225	25
Acquisition-related Costs
Business Acquisition, Equity Interests Issued or Issuable [Line Items]
Income before taxes											$ 736
Income after tax											$ 680
Pension settlement charge
Business Acquisition, Equity Interests Issued or Issuable [Line Items]
Income before taxes										10
Income after tax										8
Fair Value Adjustment to Inventory
Business Acquisition, Equity Interests Issued or Issuable [Line Items]
Income before taxes										368
Income after tax										279
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations | European Industrial Gases Business
Business Acquisition, Equity Interests Issued or Issuable [Line Items]
Gain on sale of business before tax							$ 3,294
Gain on sale of business after tax							$ 2,923
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale | Linde India Divestiture
Business Acquisition, Equity Interests Issued or Issuable [Line Items]
Consideration for sale of business	$ 218														$ 193
Net gain on sale of businesses	$ 164									$ 3,294
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale | Messer Group And CVC Capital Partners Fund VII Sale And Purchase Agreement
Business Acquisition, Equity Interests Issued or Issuable [Line Items]
Consideration for sale of business		$ 2,900
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale | Americas Industrial Gases Business, Plant Sales
Business Acquisition, Equity Interests Issued or Issuable [Line Items]
Proceeds from sale of plants		$ 500
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale | Linde Korea Divestiture
Business Acquisition, Equity Interests Issued or Issuable [Line Items]
Consideration for sale of business																$ 1,200
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale | Linde China Divestiture
Business Acquisition, Equity Interests Issued or Issuable [Line Items]
Consideration for sale of business													$ 98
Linde AG
Business Acquisition, Equity Interests Issued or Issuable [Line Items]
Share conversion ratio						1.54												1.54
Praxair, Inc.
Business Acquisition, Equity Interests Issued or Issuable [Line Items]
Ordinary shares, par value (eur per share) | $ / shares																		$ 0.01
Joint-venture ownership percentage																			34.00%
Net purchase price					$ 102	€ 90
Consideration for sale of business			$ 5,700														€ 5,000
Sale of business, closing adjustments			$ 96	€ 86
Flow Fin | Rivoira S.p.A
Business Acquisition, Equity Interests Issued or Issuable [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest, ownership percentage by noncontrolling owners																			40.00%

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