Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Oct. 27, 2017	Oct. 28, 2016	Oct. 27, 2017	Oct. 28, 2016
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 7,050,000,000	$ 7,345,000,000	$ 14,440,000,000	$ 14,511,000,000
Costs and expenses:
Cost of products sold	2,120,000,000	2,326,000,000	4,469,000,000	4,587,000,000
Research and development expense	555,000,000	554,000,000	1,103,000,000	1,110,000,000
Selling, general, and administrative expense	2,438,000,000	2,416,000,000	4,923,000,000	4,844,000,000
Amortization of intangible assets	460,000,000	500,000,000	914,000,000	987,000,000
Restructuring charges, net	8,000,000	47,000,000	16,000,000	141,000,000
Acquisition-related items	7,000,000	28,000,000	51,000,000	80,000,000
Certain litigation charges	0	0	0	82,000,000
Divestiture-related items	67,000,000	0	114,000,000	0
Gain on sale of businesses	(697,000,000)	0	(697,000,000)	0
Special charge	80,000,000	0	80,000,000	0
Other expense, net	111,000,000	89,000,000	177,000,000	128,000,000
Operating profit	1,901,000,000	1,385,000,000	3,290,000,000	2,552,000,000
Interest income	(100,000,000)	(91,000,000)	(192,000,000)	(184,000,000)
Interest expense	273,000,000	264,000,000	559,000,000	536,000,000
Interest expense, net	173,000,000	173,000,000	367,000,000	352,000,000
Income before income taxes	1,728,000,000	1,212,000,000	2,923,000,000	2,200,000,000
Income tax (benefit) provision	(285,000,000)	101,000,000	(99,000,000)	160,000,000
Net income	2,013,000,000	1,111,000,000	3,022,000,000	2,040,000,000
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	4,000,000	4,000,000	11,000,000	4,000,000
Net income attributable to Medtronic	$ 2,017,000,000	$ 1,115,000,000	$ 3,033,000,000	$ 2,044,000,000
Basic earnings per share (usd per share)	$ 1.49	$ 0.81	$ 2.23	$ 1.47
Diluted earnings per share (usd per share)	$ 1.48	$ 0.80	$ 2.21	$ 1.46
Basic weighted average shares outstanding (shares)	1,355.1	1,380.0	1,358.5	1,386.5
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding (shares)	1,365.8	1,392.5	1,370.8	1,400.2
Cash dividends declared per ordinary share (usd per share)	$ 0.46	$ 0.43	$ 0.92	$ 0.86