Debt - Narrative (Detail)						1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Debt - Narrative (Detail)	Apr. 28, 2021 USD ($)	Apr. 16, 2021 USD ($)	Apr. 15, 2021 USD ($)	Jun. 18, 2020 USD ($)	Sep. 29, 2017 USD ($)	May 31, 2020 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 15, 2021 USD ($)	May 10, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 04, 2020 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of difference between fair value and book value									$ 339,800,000	$ 142,900,000
Repayment of debt									524,800,000	281,000,000.0	$ 223,000,000.0
Debt instrument repurchase included cumulative premium										900,000
Gain (loss) on debt extinguishment									(7,100,000)	(3,000,000.0)	(800,000)
Interest paid									$ 114,400,000	$ 125,800,000	$ 158,600,000
Refinancing Transactions
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount exchanged				$ 246,200,000			$ 277,000,000.0
Premium (discount) on debt modification				1,000,000.0			(20,000,000)
Fees paid							$ 300,000
ABL Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maturity date		Apr. 16, 2026	Sep. 29, 2022
Credit facility maximum borrowing capacity					$ 650,000,000.0
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Base Capacity					$ 175,000,000.0
Line of credit borrowing capacity description									The amount available to be borrowed under the ABL Credit Facility is equal to the lesser of (a) $650.0 million and (b) a borrowing base formula based on the amount of accounts receivable, inventory, machinery, equipment and, if we were to so elect in the future subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, fee-owned real estate of ours and our material domestic subsidiaries, subject to certain eligibility criteria and advance rates (collectively, the “Borrowing Base”). The aggregate amount of real estate, machinery and equipment that can be included in the Borrowing Base formula cannot exceed $175.0 million.
Borrowing capacity available under credit facility									$ 550,700,000
Weighted average interest rate on borrowings									1.50%	1.70%	3.70%
Percentage of collateralize equity interest on first-tier foreign subsidiaries					65.00%
Credit facility outstanding borrowing capacity									$ 67,300,000
Credit facility current borrowing capacity									143,400,000
Borrowings under the credit facility									32,000,000.0
ABL Credit Facility \| Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed charge coverage ratio					1.0
ABL Credit Facility \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unused line fee					0.25%
ABL Credit Facility \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unused line fee					0.375%
ABL Credit Facility \| Eurocurrency
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility maximum borrowing capacity		$ 650,000,000.0	$ 800,000,000.0
ABL Credit Facility \| Eurocurrency \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin on borrowings					1.25%
ABL Credit Facility \| Eurocurrency \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin on borrowings					1.75%
ABL Credit Facility \| Base Rate \| Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin on borrowings					0.25%
ABL Credit Facility \| Base Rate \| Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate margin on borrowings					0.75%
Other Facilities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility current borrowing capacity									$ 111,900,000
7.000% Notes Due February 15, 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, redemption of remaining aggregate principal amount outstanding												$ 79,300,000
Debt instrument, redemption, premium												$ 800,000
Maturity date							Feb. 15, 2022			Feb. 15, 2022
Aggregate principal amount of notes purchased							$ 6,600,000			$ 28,300,000
7.000% Notes Due February 15, 2022 \| Refinancing Transactions
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount exchanged				25,800,000
6.125% Senior Secured Notes Due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount	$ 400,000,000.0												$ 450,000,000.0
Debt instrument, interest rate	6.125%
Debt Instrument Additional Face Amount													50,000,000.0
Debt instrument, premium													$ 1,100,000
Principal payments term									semi-annually
Maturity date	Nov. 01, 2026
Term Loan Due January 15, 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Repayment of debt								$ 387,600,000
8.875% Debentures Due April 15, 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate			8.875%
Maturity date			Apr. 15, 2021							Apr. 15, 2021	Apr. 15, 2021
Repayment of debt			$ 55,600,000
Aggregate principal amount of notes purchased										$ 1,300,000	$ 20,700,000
8.875% Debentures Due April 15, 2021 \| Refinancing Transactions
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount exchanged				3,300,000
7.625% Notes Due 2020, 7.875% Notes Due 2021 and 8.875% Debentures due 2021 and 7.000% Notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount of notes purchased										$ 98,500,000
7.625% Notes Due June 15, 2020
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maturity date										Jun. 15, 2020
Aggregate principal amount of notes purchased										$ 1,300,000
7.875% Notes Due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, redemption of remaining aggregate principal amount outstanding														$ 83,300,000
Debt instrument, redemption, premium														$ 1,700,000
Maturity date										Mar. 15, 2021
Aggregate principal amount of notes purchased										$ 67,600,000
7.875% Notes Due 2021 \| Refinancing Transactions
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount exchanged				$ 16,400,000
6.50% Notes Due 2023 \| Refinancing Transactions
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate				6.50%
Maturity date				Nov. 15, 2023			Nov. 15, 2023
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount exchanged				$ 161,600,000			$ 54,000,000.0
6.00% Notes Due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maturity date							Apr. 01, 2024
Aggregate principal amount of notes purchased							$ 20,000,000.0
6.00% Notes Due 2024 \| Refinancing Transactions
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate				6.00%
Maturity date				Apr. 01, 2024			Apr. 01, 2024
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount exchanged				$ 39,100,000			$ 177,400,000
8.25% Notes Due 2027 \| Refinancing Transactions
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount				$ 244,900,000
Debt instrument, interest rate				8.25%
Maturity date				Jul. 01, 2027
6.625% Debentures Due 2029 \| Refinancing Transactions
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate							6.625%
Maturity date						Apr. 15, 2029	Apr. 15, 2029
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount exchanged						$ 9,000,000.0	$ 45,600,000
8.50% Debentures Due 2029 \| Refinancing Transactions
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount							$ 297,000,000.0
Debt instrument, interest rate							8.50%
Maturity date							Apr. 15, 2029
7.00% Notes Due 2022 and 6.00% Notes Due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on debt extinguishment							$ 200,000
8.820% Debentures Due April 15, 2031 \| Refinancing Transactions
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate						8.82%
Maturity date						Apr. 15, 2031
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount exchanged						$ 14,500,000
8.500% Notes Due April 15, 2029 \| Refinancing Transactions
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, aggregate principal amount exchanged						21,200,000
Premium (discount) on debt modification						2,100,000
Fees paid						$ 200,000
7.875% Senior Notes Due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maturity date											Mar. 15, 2021
Aggregate principal amount of notes purchased											$ 23,400,000
7.875% Senior Notes Due 2021 and 8.875% Debentures Due 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Gain (loss) on debt extinguishment											$ (800,000)

RR Donnelley & Sons Co 10-K