Guarantor Financial Information - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Jan. 24, 2020	Jan. 25, 2019
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 5,784	$ 4,920
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(199)	(1,615)
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(877)	(799)
Purchases of investments	(8,249)	(1,987)
Sales and maturities of investments	5,791	4,159
Capital contribution paid	0	0
Return of capital	0
Other investing activities	(34)	(3)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(3,568)	(245)
Financing Activities:
Change in current debt obligations, net	17	(696)
Issuance of long-term debt	5,568	3
Payments on long-term debt	(5,606)	(29)
Dividends to shareholders	(2,170)	(2,022)
Issuance of ordinary shares	585	891
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(1,208)	(2,728)
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	0	0
Capital contribution received	0	0
Other financing activities	(74)	10
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(2,888)	(4,571)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(12)	(70)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(684)	34
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	4,393	3,669
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	3,709	3,703
Consolidating Adjustments | Medtronic Senior Notes and Medtronic Luxco Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	0	0
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Purchases of investments	0	0
Sales and maturities of investments	0	0
Capital contribution paid	9,800	65
Return of capital	0
Other investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	9,800	65
Financing Activities:
Change in current debt obligations, net	0	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)	0	0
Capital contribution received	(9,800)	(65)
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(9,800)	(65)
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	0	0
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Purchases of investments	0	0
Sales and maturities of investments	0	0
Capital contribution paid	19,449	205
Return of capital	0
Other investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	19,449	205
Financing Activities:
Change in current debt obligations, net	0	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)	0	0
Capital contribution received	(19,449)	(205)
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(19,449)	(205)
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 | Medtronic Senior Notes and Medtronic Luxco Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	130	100
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Purchases of investments	0	0
Sales and maturities of investments	0	0
Capital contribution paid	0	(18)
Return of capital	10,000
Other investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	10,000	(18)
Financing Activities:
Change in current debt obligations, net	0	0
Issuance of long-term debt	0	0
Payments on long-term debt	0	0
Dividends to shareholders	(2,170)	(2,022)
Issuance of ordinary shares	585	891
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(1,208)	(2,728)
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	(7,337)	3,777
Capital contribution received	0	0
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(10,130)	(82)
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	130	100
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Purchases of investments	0	0
Sales and maturities of investments	0	0
Capital contribution paid	0	(18)
Return of capital	10,000
Other investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	10,000	(18)
Financing Activities:
Change in current debt obligations, net	0	0
Issuance of long-term debt	0	0
Payments on long-term debt	0	0
Dividends to shareholders	(2,170)	(2,022)
Issuance of ordinary shares	585	891
Repurchase of ordinary shares	(1,208)	(2,728)
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	(7,337)	3,777
Capital contribution received	0	0
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(10,130)	(82)
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
Subsidiary Issuer | Reportable Legal Entities | Medtronic Senior Notes and Medtronic Luxco Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(1,315)	(619)
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	2	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(236)	(207)
Purchases of investments	0	0
Sales and maturities of investments	12	76
Capital contribution paid	0	(47)
Return of capital	0
Other investing activities	(56)	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(278)	(178)
Financing Activities:
Change in current debt obligations, net	0	0
Issuance of long-term debt	0	0
Payments on long-term debt	(5,016)	0
Dividends to shareholders	0	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	6,591	793
Capital contribution received	0	0
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	1,575	793
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(18)	(4)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	18	20
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	0	16
Subsidiary Issuer | Reportable Legal Entities | CIFSA Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	(497)	(62)
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Purchases of investments	0	0
Sales and maturities of investments	0	0
Capital contribution paid	(9,348)	(187)
Return of capital	0
Other investing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(9,348)	(187)
Financing Activities:
Change in current debt obligations, net	0	0
Issuance of long-term debt	0	0
Payments on long-term debt	(44)	0
Dividends to shareholders	0	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	588	249
Capital contribution received	9,301	0
Other financing activities	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	9,845	249
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
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities | Medtronic Senior Notes and Medtronic Luxco Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	365	200
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Purchases of investments	0	0
Sales and maturities of investments	0	0
Capital contribution paid	(9,000)	0
Return of capital	(3,000)
Other investing activities	(5)	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(12,005)	0
Financing Activities:
Change in current debt obligations, net	0	(696)
Issuance of long-term debt	5,567	0
Payments on long-term debt	(515)	0
Dividends to shareholders	0	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	6,010	814
Capital contribution received	800	0
Other financing activities	(38)	17
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	11,824	135
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	184	335
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	1	1
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	185	336
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities | CIFSA Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	441	219
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	0	0
Purchases of investments	0	0
Sales and maturities of investments	0	0
Capital contribution paid	(9,301)	0
Return of capital	(3,000)
Other investing activities	(5)	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(12,306)	0
Financing Activities:
Change in current debt obligations, net	0	(696)
Issuance of long-term debt	5,567	0
Payments on long-term debt	(515)	0
Dividends to shareholders	0	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	6,231	795
Capital contribution received	800	0
Other financing activities	(34)	17
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	12,049	116
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	184	335
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	1	1
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	185	336
Subsidiary Non-guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities | Medtronic Senior Notes and Medtronic Luxco Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	6,604	5,239
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(201)	(1,615)
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(641)	(592)
Purchases of investments	(8,249)	(1,987)
Sales and maturities of investments	5,779	4,083
Capital contribution paid	(800)	0
Return of capital	(7,000)
Other investing activities	27	(3)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(11,085)	(114)
Financing Activities:
Change in current debt obligations, net	17	0
Issuance of long-term debt	1	3
Payments on long-term debt	(75)	(29)
Dividends to shareholders	0	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	(5,264)	(5,384)
Capital contribution received	9,000	65
Other financing activities	(36)	(7)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	3,643	(5,352)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(12)	(70)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(850)	(297)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	4,374	3,648
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	3,524	3,351
Subsidiary Non-guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities | CIFSA Senior Notes
Operating Activities:
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	5,710	4,663
Investing Activities:
Acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(199)	(1,615)
Additions to property, plant, and equipment	(877)	(799)
Purchases of investments	(8,249)	(1,987)
Sales and maturities of investments	5,791	4,159
Capital contribution paid	(800)	0
Return of capital	(7,000)
Other investing activities	(29)	(3)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(11,363)	(245)
Financing Activities:
Change in current debt obligations, net	17	0
Issuance of long-term debt	1	3
Payments on long-term debt	(5,047)	(29)
Dividends to shareholders	0	0
Issuance of ordinary shares	0	0
Repurchase of ordinary shares	0	0
Net intercompany loan borrowings (repayments)	518	(4,821)
Capital contribution received	9,348	205
Other financing activities	(40)	(7)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	4,797	(4,649)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(12)	(70)
Net change in cash and cash equivalents	(868)	(301)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	4,392	3,668
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 3,524	$ 3,367