Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity Statement - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions	Total	Ordinary Shares [Member]	Capital In Excess Of Par Value [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss [Member]	Shares Held in Trust [Member]	Total Eaton Shareholders' Equity [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests [Member]
Ordinary shares, shares outstanding at period start, shares at Dec. 31, 2013		475.1
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 16,863	$ 5	$ 11,483	$ 6,866	$ (1,560)	$ (3)	$ 16,791	$ 72
Net income	1,803	0	0	1,793	0	0	1,793	10
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(1,339)				(1,339)		(1,339)	0
Cash dividends paid	(934)	$ 0	0	(929)	0	0	(929)	(5)
Issuance of shares under equity-based compensation plans - net (net of income tax benefit of $1, $20 and $32 for the years 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively), shares		2.4
Issuance of shares under equity-based compensation plans - net (net of income tax benefit of $1, $20 and $32 for the years 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively)	134	$ 0	136	(2)	0	0	134	0
Changes in noncontrolling interest of consolidated subsidiaries - net	(38)	$ 0	(14)	0	0	0	(14)	(24)
Repurchase of shares, shares		(9.6)
Repurchase of shares	(650)	$ 0	0	(650)	0	0	(650)	0
Ordinary shares, shares outstanding at period end, shares at Dec. 31, 2014		467.9
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2014	15,839	$ 5	11,605	7,078	(2,899)	(3)	15,786	53
Net income	1,981	0	0	1,979	0	0	1,979	2
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(964)				(964)		(964)	0
Cash dividends paid	(1,035)	$ 0	0	(1,026)	0	0	(1,026)	(9)
Issuance of shares under equity-based compensation plans - net (net of income tax benefit of $1, $20 and $32 for the years 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively), shares		2.2
Issuance of shares under equity-based compensation plans - net (net of income tax benefit of $1, $20 and $32 for the years 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively)	96	$ 0	99	(3)	0	0	96	0
Changes in noncontrolling interest of consolidated subsidiaries - net	(4)	$ 0	(3)	0	0	0	(3)	(1)
Repurchase of shares, shares		(11.3)
Repurchase of shares	$ (682)	$ 0	0	(682)	0	0	(682)	0
Ordinary shares, shares outstanding at period end, shares at Dec. 31, 2015	458.8	458.8
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 15,231	$ 5	11,701	7,346	(3,863)	(3)	15,186	45
Net income	1,925	0	0	1,922	0	0	1,922	3
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	(585)				(585)		(585)	0
Cash dividends paid	(1,039)	$ 0	0	(1,037)	0	0	(1,037)	(2)
Issuance of shares under equity-based compensation plans - net (net of income tax benefit of $1, $20 and $32 for the years 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively), shares		2.4
Issuance of shares under equity-based compensation plans - net (net of income tax benefit of $1, $20 and $32 for the years 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively)	141	$ 0	144	(3)	0	0	141	0
Changes in noncontrolling interest of consolidated subsidiaries - net	(2)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	(2)
Repurchase of shares, shares		(11.8)
Repurchase of shares	$ (730)	$ 0	0	(730)	0	0	(730)	0
Ordinary shares, shares outstanding at period end, shares at Dec. 31, 2016	449.4	449.4
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 14,941	$ 5	$ 11,845	$ 7,498	$ (4,448)	$ (3)	$ 14,897	$ 44