Retirement Benefit Plans , Additional Information (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 28, 2017 USD ($)	Apr. 29, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 24, 2015 USD ($)	May 01, 2005 plan
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Cost of retirement benefit plans	$ 602	$ 584	$ 433
Underfunded status of the plan	(1,300)	(1,400)
Special termination benefits	73
Special termination benefits, defined contribution plan	4
Cash payments and administrative fees	2
Real estate investment to be liquidated	1
Expense under defined contribution plans	$ 347	269	188
Treasury bond rate of guaranteed rate of return	10 years
Partnerships | Minimum
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Range of notice period	45 days
Partnerships | Maximum
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Range of notice period	95 days
Absolute return strategy funds
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Absolute return strategy funds in process of liquidation, fair value	$ 2
Private equity fund
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Private equity funds, unfunded commitments	$ 158
Private equity funds, estimated minimum liquidation period	1 year
Private equity funds, estimated maximum liquidation period	15 years
Real asset investments | Minimum
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Real asset investments, estimated liquidation and redemption period	30 days
Real asset investments | Maximum
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Real asset investments, estimated liquidation and redemption period	10 years
Personal Pension Account
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Expense under defined contribution plans	$ 58	58	53
Medtronic Core Contribution
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Expense under defined contribution plans	45	12
Disposal Group, Held-for-sale, Not Discontinued Operations | Patient Care, Deep Vein Thrombosis, and Nutritional Insufficiency Business
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Disposal group, pension and post-retirement benefit liabilities	12
Disposal group, pension benefit liabilities	9
Disposal group, post-retirement benefit liabilities	$ 3
U.S. Pension Benefits
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Target allocations	100.00%
Number of new plans created | plan				2
U.S. Pension Benefits | Equity
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Target allocations	40.00%
U.S. Pension Benefits | Debt
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Target allocations	36.00%
U.S. Pension Benefits | Other
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Target allocations	24.00%
Pension benefits
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Underfunded status of the plan	$ (499)	(422)
Estimated future employer contributions in next fiscal year	302
Post-retirement benefit plans, benefit obligations	1,734	1,535
Post-retirement benefit plans, fair value of plan assets	1,235	1,113
Pension benefits | U.S. Pension Benefits
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Underfunded status of the plan	(753)	(910)
Special termination benefits, defined benefit plan	60	0	0
Defined benefit plan, future amortization of net actuarial loss	83
Employer contributions	183	112
Post-retirement benefit plans, net periodic benefit cost	180	159	114
Post-retirement benefit plans, benefit obligations	3,232	3,048	2,956
Post-retirement benefit plans, fair value of plan assets	2,479	2,138	2,204
Pension benefits | Non-U.S. Pension Benefits
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Special termination benefits, defined benefit plan	0	0	0
Defined benefit plan, future amortization of net actuarial loss	17
Employer contributions	76	93
Post-retirement benefit plans, net periodic benefit cost	64	74	64
Post-retirement benefit plans, benefit obligations	1,734	1,535	1,647
Post-retirement benefit plans, fair value of plan assets	$ 1,235	1,113	1,189
Pension benefits | Non-U.S. Pension Benefits | Equity
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Target allocations	37.00%
Pension benefits | Non-U.S. Pension Benefits | Debt
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Target allocations	29.00%
Pension benefits | Non-U.S. Pension Benefits | Other
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Target allocations	34.00%
Other post-retirement benefits
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Post-retirement benefit plans, net periodic benefit cost	$ 11	12	$ 14
Post-retirement benefit plans, benefit obligations	323	369
Post-retirement benefit plans, fair value of plan assets	289	$ 269
Other post-retirement benefits | U.S. Pension Benefits
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Special termination benefits, defined benefit plan	$ 7