Acquisitions and Acquisition-Related Items - Narrative (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions					3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Oct. 02, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Aug. 11, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 26, 2015 USD ($) $ / shares	Jan. 29, 2016 USD ($)	Jan. 23, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 29, 2016 USD ($)	Jan. 23, 2015 USD ($)	Oct. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 24, 2015 USD ($)	Oct. 24, 2014 USD ($)	Apr. 25, 2014 USD ($)
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill					$ 40,376		$ 40,376			$ 40,530
Acquisition-related items					63	$ 80	183	$ 182
Fair value of contingent consideration					371	$ 93	371	$ 93	$ 368	264	$ 91	$ 68
Other long-term liabilities [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of contingent consideration					311		311			242
Other accrued expenses [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Fair value of contingent consideration					60		60			$ 22
Covidien plc [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash consideration per Covidien share (usd per share) | $ / shares				$ 35.19
Consideration - number of shares issued for each Covidien share, conversion ratio				0.956
Consideration - total				$ 50,000
Consideration - cash				16,000
Consideration - non-cash				34,000
Percentage ownership by Medtronic shareholders subsequent to acquisition						69.00%		69.00%
Percentage ownership by Covidien shareholders subsequent to acquisition						31.00%		31.00%
Goodwill				29,979
Contingent liabilities assumed				2,700
Covidien plc [Member] | Contingent Liability, Income Tax [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Contingent liabilities assumed				1,500
Covidien plc [Member] | Contingent Liability, Legal [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Contingent liabilities assumed				1,200
Covidien plc [Member] | IPR&D [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
IPR&D				400
Covidien plc [Member] | Customer-related [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible assets				$ 18,300
Finite-lived intangible assets, useful life				18 years
Covidien plc [Member] | Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible assets				$ 7,100
Finite-lived intangible assets, useful life				16 years
Covidien plc [Member] | Tradenames [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible assets				$ 400
Finite-lived intangible assets, useful life				6 years
Twelve, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration - total	$ 472
Consideration - cash	428
Finite-lived intangible assets	0
IPR&D	192
Goodwill	301
Contingent consideration	$ 44
RF Surgical Systems, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration - total			$ 240
Finite-lived intangible assets			115
IPR&D			0
Goodwill			132
RF Surgical Systems, Inc. [Member] | Customer-related [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible assets			$ 47
Finite-lived intangible assets, useful life			16 years
RF Surgical Systems, Inc. [Member] | Technology-Based Intangible Assets [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible assets			$ 68
Finite-lived intangible assets, useful life			18 years
Medina Medical [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Consideration - total		$ 195
Consideration - cash		155
Finite-lived intangible assets		0
IPR&D		122
Goodwill		126
Contingent consideration		64
Consideration - total, including equity interest in acquiree held prior to combination		$ 219
Equity interest in acquiree held prior to acquisition		11.00%
Business combinations or purchases of intellectual property prior to April 24, 2009 [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Maximum amount of future contingent consideration payments					$ 177		$ 177