Guarantor Financial Information - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Jan. 29, 2016	Jan. 23, 2015
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 3,892	$ 2,990
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(1,132)	(611)
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(693)	(316)
Purchases of marketable securities	(4,509)	(5,327)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	4,017	4,351
Net increase (decrease) in intercompany loans	0	0
Increase in investment in subsidiary	0
Other investing activities, net	(11)	60
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,328)	(1,843)
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	(21)	(5)
Change in short-term borrowings, net	1,223	7
Repayment of short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	(48)	(150)
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	139	150
Issuance of long-term debt	0	16,918
Payments on long-term debt	(1,612)	(13)
Dividends to shareholders	(1,608)	(902)
Issuance of ordinary shares	360	477
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(2,170)	(1,620)
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	0	0
Intercompany dividend paid	0	0
Capital contribution	0
Other financing activities, net	60	(64)
Net cash used in financing activities	(3,677)	14,798
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(9)	(117)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(2,122)	15,828
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	4,843	1,403
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	2,721	17,231
Consolidating Adjustments [Member] | Medtronic Notes [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(1,508)	(26)
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Purchases of marketable securities	0	0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in intercompany loans	4,058	(42)
Increase in investment in subsidiary	0
Other investing activities, net	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	4,058	(42)
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0	0
Change in short-term borrowings, net	0	0
Repayment of short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	0	0
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	0	0
Issuance of long-term debt		0
Payments on long-term debt	0	0
Dividends to shareholders	0	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	(4,058)	42
Intercompany dividend paid	8	26
Capital contribution	1,500
Other financing activities, net	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(2,550)	68
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0	0
Consolidating Adjustments [Member] | CIFSA Notes [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(12,461)
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0
Purchases of marketable securities	0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	0
Net increase (decrease) in intercompany loans	(3,689)
Other investing activities, net	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(3,689)
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0
Change in short-term borrowings, net	0
Repayment of short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	0
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	0
Payments on long-term debt	0
Dividends to shareholders	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	3,689
Intercompany dividend paid	3,050
Capital contribution	9,411
Other financing activities, net	0
Net cash used in financing activities	16,150
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0
Parent Company Guarantor (Medtronic plc) [Member] | Medtronic Notes [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(15)	0
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Purchases of marketable securities	0	0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in intercompany loans	0	0
Increase in investment in subsidiary	0
Other investing activities, net	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0	0
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0	0
Change in short-term borrowings, net	0	0
Repayment of short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	0	0
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	0	0
Issuance of long-term debt		0
Payments on long-term debt	0	0
Dividends to shareholders	(1,608)	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	360	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(2,170)	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	3,110	0
Intercompany dividend paid	0	0
Capital contribution	0
Other financing activities, net	60	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(248)	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(263)	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	263	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0	0
Parent Company Guarantor (Medtronic plc) [Member] | CIFSA Notes [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(15)
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0
Purchases of marketable securities	0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	0
Net increase (decrease) in intercompany loans	0
Other investing activities, net	0
Net cash used in investing activities	0
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0
Change in short-term borrowings, net	0
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	0
Payments on long-term debt	0
Dividends to shareholders	(1,608)
Issuance of ordinary shares	360
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(2,170)
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	3,110
Intercompany dividend paid	0
Capital contribution	0
Other financing activities, net	60
Net cash used in financing activities	(248)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(263)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	263
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0
Subsidiary Issuer [Member] | Medtronic Notes [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	839	995
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(210)	(116)
Purchases of marketable securities	0	0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in intercompany loans	(975)	3
Increase in investment in subsidiary	0
Other investing activities, net	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,185)	(113)
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0	0
Change in short-term borrowings, net	0	7
Repayment of short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	0	(150)
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	0	150
Issuance of long-term debt		16,918
Payments on long-term debt	(600)	(13)
Dividends to shareholders	0	(902)
Issuance of ordinary shares	0	477
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	(1,620)
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	(96)	(39)
Intercompany dividend paid	0	0
Capital contribution	0
Other financing activities, net	0	(64)
Net cash used in financing activities	(696)	14,764
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(1,042)	15,646
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	1,071	264
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	29	15,910
Subsidiary Issuer [Member] | CIFSA Notes [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	3,316
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0
Purchases of marketable securities	0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	0
Net increase (decrease) in intercompany loans	4,592
Other investing activities, net	0
Net cash used in investing activities	4,592
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0
Change in short-term borrowings, net	0
Repayment of short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	0
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	0
Payments on long-term debt	(1,000)
Dividends to shareholders	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	311
Intercompany dividend paid	0
Capital contribution	(7,911)
Other financing activities, net	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(8,600)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(692)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	728
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	36
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member] | Medtronic Notes [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	525	0
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Purchases of marketable securities	0	0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	0	0
Net increase (decrease) in intercompany loans	(539)	0
Increase in investment in subsidiary	0
Other investing activities, net	0	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(539)	0
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0	0
Change in short-term borrowings, net	1,201	0
Repayment of short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	(48)	0
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	139	0
Issuance of long-term debt		0
Payments on long-term debt	0	0
Dividends to shareholders	0	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	53	0
Intercompany dividend paid	0	0
Capital contribution	(1,500)
Other financing activities, net	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(155)	0
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(169)	0
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	170	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	1	0
Subsidiary Guarantors [Member] | CIFSA Notes [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	709
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0
Purchases of marketable securities	0
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	0
Net increase (decrease) in intercompany loans	(722)
Other investing activities, net	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(722)
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0
Change in short-term borrowings, net	1,201
Repayment of short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	(48)
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	139
Payments on long-term debt	0
Dividends to shareholders	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	52
Intercompany dividend paid	0
Capital contribution	(1,500)
Other financing activities, net	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(156)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(169)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	170
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	1
Subsidiary Non-guarantors [Member] | Medtronic Notes [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	4,051	2,021
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(1,132)	(611)
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(483)	(200)
Purchases of marketable securities	(4,509)	(5,327)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	4,017	4,351
Net increase (decrease) in intercompany loans	(2,544)	39
Increase in investment in subsidiary	0
Other investing activities, net	(11)	60
Net cash used in investing activities	(4,662)	(1,688)
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	(21)	(5)
Change in short-term borrowings, net	22	0
Repayment of short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	0	0
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	0	0
Issuance of long-term debt		0
Payments on long-term debt	(1,012)	0
Dividends to shareholders	0	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	991	(3)
Intercompany dividend paid	(8)	(26)
Capital contribution	0
Other financing activities, net	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(28)	(34)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(9)	(117)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(648)	182
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	3,339	1,139
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	2,691	$ 1,321
Subsidiary Non-guarantors [Member] | CIFSA Notes [Member]
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	12,343
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(1,132)
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(693)
Purchases of marketable securities	(4,509)
Sales and maturities of marketable securities	4,017
Net increase (decrease) in intercompany loans	(181)
Other investing activities, net	(11)
Net cash used in investing activities	(2,509)
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	(21)
Change in short-term borrowings, net	22
Repayment of short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	0
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	0
Payments on long-term debt	(612)
Dividends to shareholders	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	(7,162)
Intercompany dividend paid	(3,050)
Capital contribution	0
Other financing activities, net	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(10,823)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(9)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(998)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	3,682
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 2,684