Retirement Benefit Plans - Additional Information (Details) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 24, 2020 USD ($) fund	Apr. 26, 2019 USD ($)	Apr. 27, 2018 USD ($)	May 01, 2005 plan
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Cost of retirement benefit plans	$ 467	$ 539	$ 552
Net underfunded status of the plans	$ (1,400)	(1,100)
Number of funds in process of liquidation | fund	0
Expense under defined contribution plans	$ 376	415	374
Treasury bond rate of guaranteed rate of return	10 years
Personal Investment Account
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Expense under defined contribution plans	$ 52	54	56
Medtronic Core Contribution
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Expense under defined contribution plans	$ 66	58	49
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
Private equity fund
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Private equity funds, unfunded commitments	$ 194
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
Real estate investments
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Number of funds in process of liquidation | fund	0
U.S.
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Number of new plans created | plan				2
Pension benefits | U.S.
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Net underfunded status of the plans	$ (741)	(676)
Curtailment benefits recognized	(94)	0
Defined benefit plan, future amortization of net actuarial loss	$ 70
Target allocations	100.00%
Employer contributions	$ 444	93
Estimated future employer contributions in next fiscal year	17
Post-retirement benefit plans, net periodic benefit cost	(64)	(100)	(127)
Post-retirement benefit plans, benefit obligations	3,723	3,404	3,202
Post-retirement benefit plans, fair value of plan assets	$ 2,982	2,728	2,661
Pension benefits | U.S. | Equity
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Target allocations	49.00%
Pension benefits | U.S. | Debt
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Target allocations	32.00%
Pension benefits | U.S. | Other
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Target allocations	19.00%
Pension benefits | Non-U.S.
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Net underfunded status of the plans	$ (620)	(423)
Curtailment benefits recognized	(2)	(5)
Defined benefit plan, future amortization of net actuarial loss	23
Employer contributions	54	78
Estimated future employer contributions in next fiscal year	63
Post-retirement benefit plans, net periodic benefit cost	(42)	(41)	(60)
Post-retirement benefit plans, benefit obligations	2,024	1,832	1,791
Post-retirement benefit plans, fair value of plan assets	$ 1,404	1,409	1,404
Pension benefits | Non-U.S. | Equity
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Target allocations	37.00%
Pension benefits | Non-U.S. | Debt
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Target allocations	30.00%
Pension benefits | Non-U.S. | Other
Defined Benefit Plans and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans Table Text Block [Line Items]
Target allocations	33.00%
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	$ 15	17	$ 9
Post-retirement benefit plans, benefit obligations	339	323
Post-retirement benefit plans, fair value of plan assets	$ 296	$ 297