Guarantor Financial Information - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
	Oct. 27, 2017	Oct. 28, 2016
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 1,644	$ 3,022
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(76)	(1,306)
Proceeds from sale of businesses	6,058	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(524)	(598)
Purchases of investments	(1,685)	(2,110)
Sales and maturities of investments	2,354	3,625
Net (increase) decrease in intercompany loans	0	0
Capital contribution paid	0	0
Other investing activities, net	(2)	32
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	6,125	(357)
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	(39)	(36)
Change in current debt obligations, net	(190)	1,154
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)	0	4
Issuance of long-term debt	20	131
Payments on long-term debt	(4,161)	(252)
Dividends to shareholders	(1,247)	(1,192)
Issuance of ordinary shares	230	260
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(1,888)	(2,794)
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	0	0
Intercompany dividend paid	0	0
Capital contribution received	0	0
Other financing activities	(2)	74
Net cash used in financing activities	(7,277)	(2,651)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	70	64
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	562	78
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	4,967	2,876
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	5,529	2,954
Consolidating Adjustments | Medtronic Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	0	0
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Proceeds from sale of businesses	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Purchases of investments	0	162
Sales and maturities of investments	0	(162)
Net (increase) decrease in intercompany loans	7,220	3,476
Capital contribution paid	4,212	233
Other investing activities, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	11,432	3,709
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0	0
Change in current debt obligations, net	0	0
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)		0
Issuance of long-term debt	0	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)	(7,220)	(3,476)
Capital contribution received	(4,212)	(233)
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(11,432)	(3,709)
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 | CIFSA Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(1,048)	(920)
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Proceeds from sale of businesses	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Purchases of investments	0	0
Sales and maturities of investments	0	0
Net (increase) decrease in intercompany loans	7,795	(3,788)
Capital contribution paid	4,731	325
Other investing activities, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	12,526	(3,463)
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0	0
Change in current debt obligations, net	0	0
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)		0
Issuance of long-term debt	0	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)	(7,795)	3,788
Intercompany dividend paid	1,048	920
Capital contribution received	(4,731)	(325)
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(11,478)	4,383
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
Medtronic plc | CIFSA Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities		644
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired		0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment		0
Purchases of investments		0
Sales and maturities of investments		0
Net (increase) decrease in intercompany loans		0
Capital contribution paid		0
Other investing activities, net		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		0
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration		0
Change in current debt obligations, net		0
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)		0
Issuance of long-term debt		0
Payments on long-term debt		0
Dividends to shareholders		(1,192)
Issuance of ordinary shares		260
Repurchase of ordinary shares		(2,794)
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)		3,082
Intercompany dividend paid		0
Capital contribution received		0
Other financing activities		0
Net cash used in financing activities		(644)
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
Medtronic plc | Reportable Legal Entities | Medtronic Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	269	644
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Proceeds from sale of businesses	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Purchases of investments	0	0
Sales and maturities of investments	0	0
Net (increase) decrease in intercompany loans	(112)	0
Capital contribution paid	0	0
Other investing activities, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(112)	0
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0	0
Change in current debt obligations, net	0	0
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)		0
Issuance of long-term debt	0	0
Payments on long-term debt	0	0
Dividends to shareholders	(1,247)	(1,192)
Issuance of ordinary shares	230	260
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(1,888)	(2,794)
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	2,748	3,082
Capital contribution received	0	0
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(157)	(644)
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
Medtronic plc | Reportable Legal Entities | CIFSA Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	269
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0
Proceeds from sale of businesses	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0
Purchases of investments	0
Sales and maturities of investments	0
Net (increase) decrease in intercompany loans	(112)
Capital contribution paid	0
Other investing activities, net	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(112)
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0
Change in current debt obligations, net	0
Issuance of long-term debt	0
Payments on long-term debt	0
Dividends to shareholders	(1,247)
Issuance of ordinary shares	230
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(1,888)
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	2,748
Intercompany dividend paid	0
Capital contribution received	0
Other financing activities	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(157)
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
Subsidiary Issuer | CIFSA Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities		879
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired		0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment		0
Purchases of investments		0
Sales and maturities of investments		0
Net (increase) decrease in intercompany loans		3,198
Capital contribution paid		(325)
Other investing activities, net		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		2,873
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration		0
Change in current debt obligations, net		0
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)		0
Issuance of long-term debt		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)		(3,634)
Intercompany dividend paid		0
Capital contribution received		0
Other financing activities		0
Net cash used in financing activities		(3,634)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents		118
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		208
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period		326
Subsidiary Issuer | Reportable Legal Entities | Medtronic Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(743)	513
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	(918)
Proceeds from sale of businesses	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(132)	(161)
Purchases of investments	0	0
Sales and maturities of investments	0	210
Net (increase) decrease in intercompany loans	2,204	496
Capital contribution paid	(12)	(233)
Other investing activities, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	2,060	(606)
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0	0
Change in current debt obligations, net	0	0
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)		0
Issuance of long-term debt	0	0
Payments on long-term debt	(3,000)	0
Dividends to shareholders	0	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	1,685	109
Capital contribution received	0	0
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(1,315)	109
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	2	16
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	45	55
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	47	71
Subsidiary Issuer | Reportable Legal Entities | CIFSA Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	997
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0
Proceeds from sale of businesses	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0
Purchases of investments	0
Sales and maturities of investments	0
Net (increase) decrease in intercompany loans	646
Capital contribution paid	(531)
Other investing activities, net	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	115
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0
Change in current debt obligations, net	0
Issuance of long-term debt	0
Payments on long-term debt	(1,150)
Dividends to shareholders	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	5
Intercompany dividend paid	0
Capital contribution received	0
Other financing activities	0
Net cash used in financing activities	(1,145)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(33)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	33
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0
Subsidiary Guarantors | CIFSA Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities		162
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired		0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment		0
Purchases of investments		0
Sales and maturities of investments		0
Net (increase) decrease in intercompany loans		(2,117)
Capital contribution paid		0
Other investing activities, net		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(2,117)
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration		0
Change in current debt obligations, net		1,130
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)		4
Issuance of long-term debt		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)		929
Intercompany dividend paid		0
Capital contribution received		0
Other financing activities		0
Net cash used in financing activities		2,063
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents		108
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period		108
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities | Medtronic Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	128	163
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Proceeds from sale of businesses	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Purchases of investments	0	0
Sales and maturities of investments	0	0
Net (increase) decrease in intercompany loans	(1,617)	(2,117)
Capital contribution paid	(4,200)	0
Other investing activities, net	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(5,817)	(2,117)
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0	0
Change in current debt obligations, net	(202)	1,130
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)		4
Issuance of long-term debt	0	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)	6,708	928
Capital contribution received	0	0
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash used in financing activities	6,506	2,062
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	817	108
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	5	0
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	822	108
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities | CIFSA Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	135
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0
Proceeds from sale of businesses	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0
Purchases of investments	0
Sales and maturities of investments	0
Net (increase) decrease in intercompany loans	(1,622)
Capital contribution paid	(4,200)
Other investing activities, net	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(5,822)
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	0
Change in current debt obligations, net	(202)
Issuance of long-term debt	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)	6,707
Intercompany dividend paid	0
Capital contribution received	0
Other financing activities	0
Net cash used in financing activities	6,505
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	818
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	5
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	823
Subsidiary Non-guarantors | CIFSA Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities		2,257
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired		(1,306)
Additions to property, plant, and equipment		(598)
Purchases of investments		(2,110)
Sales and maturities of investments		3,625
Net (increase) decrease in intercompany loans		2,707
Capital contribution paid		0
Other investing activities, net		32
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		2,350
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration		(36)
Change in current debt obligations, net		24
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)		0
Issuance of long-term debt		131
Payments on long-term debt		(252)
Dividends to shareholders		0
Issuance of ordinary shares		0
Repurchase of ordinary shares		0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)		(4,165)
Intercompany dividend paid		(920)
Capital contribution received		325
Other financing activities		74
Net cash used in financing activities		(4,819)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		64
Net change in cash and cash equivalents		(148)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period		2,668
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period		2,520
Subsidiary Non-guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities | Medtronic Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	1,990	1,702
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(76)	(388)
Proceeds from sale of businesses	6,058
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(392)	(437)
Purchases of investments	(1,685)	(2,272)
Sales and maturities of investments	2,354	3,577
Net (increase) decrease in intercompany loans	(7,695)	(1,855)
Capital contribution paid	0	0
Other investing activities, net	(2)	32
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(1,438)	(1,343)
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	(39)	(36)
Change in current debt obligations, net	12	24
Proceeds from short-term borrowings (maturities greater than 90 days)		0
Issuance of long-term debt	20	131
Payments on long-term debt	(1,161)	(252)
Dividends to shareholders	0	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	(3,921)	(643)
Capital contribution received	4,212	233
Other financing activities	(2)	74
Net cash used in financing activities	(879)	(469)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	70	64
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(257)	(46)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	4,917	2,821
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	4,660	$ 2,775
Subsidiary Non-guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities | CIFSA Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	1,291
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(76)
Proceeds from sale of businesses	6,058
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(524)
Purchases of investments	(1,685)
Sales and maturities of investments	2,354
Net (increase) decrease in intercompany loans	(6,707)
Capital contribution paid	0
Other investing activities, net	(2)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(582)
Financing Activities:
Acquisition-related contingent consideration	(39)
Change in current debt obligations, net	12
Issuance of long-term debt	20
Payments on long-term debt	(3,011)
Dividends to shareholders	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	(1,665)
Intercompany dividend paid	(1,048)
Capital contribution received	4,731
Other financing activities	(2)
Net cash used in financing activities	(1,002)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	70
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(223)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	4,929
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 4,706