Acquisitions and Acquisition-Related Items , Additional Information (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions									12 Months Ended
	Oct. 02, 2015	Aug. 31, 2015	Aug. 11, 2015	Jan. 26, 2015	Jan. 23, 2015	Aug. 26, 2014	Aug. 25, 2014	Dec. 30, 2013	Apr. 29, 2016	Apr. 24, 2015	Apr. 25, 2014
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Goodwill									$ 41,500	$ 40,530	$ 10,593
Amortization of intangible assets									1,931	733	349
Cash consideration for acquisition, net of cash acquired									1,213	14,884	385
Contingent consideration									377	264	68
Acquisition-related items									283	550	117
Other long-term liabilities [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Contingent consideration									311	242
Other accrued expenses [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Contingent consideration									66	22
Professional services and integration costs [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition-related items									219	275
Accelerated or incremental stock compensation expense [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition-related items									58	189
Incremental officer and director excise tax [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition-related items										69
Covidien plc [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash issued (in dollars per share)				$ 35.19
Exchange ratio per share (in shares)				0.956	0.956
Percent ownership by Medtronic, Inc. shareholders after giving effect to the acquisition					69.00%
Percent ownership by Covidien shareholders after giving effect to the acquisition					31.00%
Total consideration					$ 49,988
Cash consideration					16,027
Non-cash consideration					34,000
Covidien's share awards and share options earned					559
Covidien's share awards and share options not earned					$ 496
Goodwill				$ 29,979
Contingent liabilities assumed				2,700
Net sales - Covidien										2,700
Operating loss - Covidien										(423)
Amortization from the step-up in fair value of inventory acquired										623
Amortization of intangible assets										379
Acquisition-related charges										218
Restructuring charges										142
Cash consideration for acquisition, net of cash acquired				16,000
Intangible assets				26,210
Covidien plc [Member] | Income tax [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Contingent liabilities assumed				1,500
Covidien plc [Member] | Legal matters [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Contingent liabilities assumed				1,200
Covidien plc [Member] | IPR&D [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
IPR&D				420
Covidien plc [Member] | Customer-related [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangibles				$ 18,300
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life				18 years
Covidien plc [Member] | Technology-based [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangibles				$ 7,100
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life				16 years
Covidien plc [Member] | Tradenames [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangibles				$ 430
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life				6 years
Covidien plc [Member] | Acquisition-related items [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Share awards and share options expense									58	189
Covidien plc [Member] | Restructuring charges, net [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Share awards and share options expense									18	$ 70
Twelve, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total consideration	$ 472
Cash consideration	428
Finite-lived intangibles	0
IPR&D	192
Goodwill	291
Fair value of revenue-based contingent consideration	$ 44
RF Surgical Systems, Inc. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total consideration			$ 240
Finite-lived intangibles			115
IPR&D			0
Goodwill			135
RF Surgical Systems, Inc. [Member] | Customer-related [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangibles			$ 47
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life			16 years
RF Surgical Systems, Inc. [Member] | Technology-based [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangibles			$ 68
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life			18 years
Medina Medical [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total consideration		$ 195
Cash consideration		155
Finite-lived intangibles		0
IPR&D		122
Goodwill		126
Fair value of revenue-based contingent consideration		64
Total consideration, including equity interest in acquiree held prior to acquisition		$ 219
Ownership in acquiree prior to acquisition		11.00%
NGC Medical SpA [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total consideration						$ 238
Finite-lived intangibles						159
IPR&D						0
Goodwill						197
Total consideration, including equity interest in acquiree held prior to acquisition						$ 340
Ownership in acquiree prior to acquisition						30.00%
NGC Medical SpA [Member] | Tradenames and customer-related [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangibles						$ 159
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life						20 years
Sapiens Steering Brain Stimulation [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total consideration							$ 203
Finite-lived intangibles							0
IPR&D							30
Goodwill							170
Sapiens Steering Brain Stimulation [Member] | IPR&D [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
IPR&D							$ 30
TYRX [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Total consideration								$ 222
Goodwill								132
Cash consideration for acquisition, net of cash acquired								159
Intangible assets								94
TYRX [Member] | Product development-based payments [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Contingent consideration								25
Estimated future contingent consideration								40
TYRX [Member] | Revenue-based payments [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Contingent consideration								$ 35
TYRX [Member] | Technology-based [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Finite-lived intangible asset, useful life								14 years
Intangible assets								$ 94
Business combinations or purchases of intellectual property prior to April 24, 2009 [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Estimated future contingent consideration									$ 175
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets [Member] | Ardian [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition-related items											236
Change in the Amount of Contingent Consideration [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Acquisition-related items											$ (138)