Eaton Shareholders' Equity (Textuals) (Details)			12 Months Ended
	Feb. 22, 2017 $ / shares	Feb. 24, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Mar. 17, 2017 $ / shares	Dec. 31, 2016 € / shares
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Quarterly dividends payable, amount per share | $ / shares						$ 0.60
Quarterly dividends, per share, declared (usd per share) | $ / shares	$ 0.60		$ 2.28	$ 2.20	$ 1.96
Shareholders Equity Textuals Abstract
Ordinary shares authorized			750,000,000
Eaton Corporation plc ordinary share par value | $ / shares			$ 0.01
Ordinary shares issued and outstanding (shares)			449,400,000	458,800,000
Deferred ordinary shares authorized			40,000
Deferred ordinary shares par value | € / shares							€ 1.00
Deferred ordinary shares, shares issued and outstanding			40,000	40,000
Preferred A Shares authorized			10,000
Preferred A Shares par value | $ / shares			$ 1.00
Preferred A Shares, Shares Issued			10,000	10,000
Preferred A Shares, Shares Outstanding			10,000	10,000
Serial preferred shares authorized			10,000,000
Serial preferred share par value per share | $ / shares			$ 0.01
Serial preferred shares, shares issued and outstanding			0	0
Number of holders of record of Eaton ordinary shares			17,627
Number of current and former employees who were shareholders through various Eaton plans			21,235
Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares					0
Disclosure of Repurchase Agreements [Abstract]
2013 Share repurchase program, shares repurchased			1,500,000	11,300,000	9,600,000
2013 Share repurchase program - cost | $			$ 82,000,000	$ 682,000,000	$ 650,000,000
2016 Share repurchase program, shares repurchased during period			10,300,000
2016 share repurchase program- cost | $			$ 648,000,000
Employee Trust [Abstract]
Deferred compensation plan trust of shares and marketable secutities | $			$ 13,000,000	$ 16,000,000
Earnings Per Share, Diluted, Other Disclosures [Abstract]
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of net income per ordinary share			1,700,000	1,600,000	500,000
2016 Program [Member]
Disclosure of Repurchase Agreements [Abstract]
2016 Share Repurchase Program, Authorized Dollar Amount | $		$ 2,500,000,000