Aggregate carrying amount of the estimated litigation liability for known or estimated probable loss from litigation, which may include attorneys' fees and other litigation costs.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-1

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(25))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480566/210-10-S99-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationReserve
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount of reserve for known or estimated probable loss from litigation, which may include attorneys' fees and other litigation costs, which is expected to be paid within one year of the date of the statement of financial position.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationReserveCurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying amount of estimated litigation liability for known or estimated probable loss from litigation, which may include attorneys' fees and other litigation costs, which is expected to be paid after one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount awarded to other party in judgment or settlement of litigation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationSettlementAmountAwardedToOtherParty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-4

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-9

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 720
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483359/720-20-50-1

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 27
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482395/460-10-55-27

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 450
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-9

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-4

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482425/460-10-50-3

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total number of new claims filed pertaining to a loss contingency during the period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyNewClaimsFiledNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Litigation Settlement, Damages Limit

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wba_LitigationSettlementDamagesLimit
Namespace Prefix:	wba_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Litigation Settlement, Percentage Of Litigating Subdivisions

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wba_LitigationSettlementPercentageOfLitigatingSubdivisions
Namespace Prefix:	wba_
Data Type:	dtr-types:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Litigation Settlement, Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wba_LitigationSettlementPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	wba_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis=us-gaap_PendingLitigationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=wba_SettlementFrameworksWithSettlingStatesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis=us-gaap_SettledLitigationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=wba_SettlementFrameworksWithSettlingTribesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=wba_SettlementFrameworksMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=wba_OhioCombinedCasesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=wba_UsualAndCustomaryPricingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_LitigationCaseAxis=wba_RiteAidMergerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Commitment and contingencies (Details) $ in Millions			1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
Commitment and contingencies (Details) $ in Millions	Mar. 19, 2024 USD ($)	Dec. 09, 2022 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2022 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 case	Dec. 31, 2020 case	Nov. 30, 2024 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2024 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2022 USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Accrued litigation obligations						$ 5,982	$ 6,008
Pending Litigation
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Estimated litigation liability	$ 79
Litigation settlement, amount awarded to other party	988
Litigation settlement, damages limit	$ 79
Settling States \| Pending Litigation
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Estimated litigation liability		$ 4,800
Settling States \| Settled Litigation
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation settlement, period		15 years
Settling Tribes \| Pending Litigation
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Estimated litigation liability		$ 155
Litigation settlement, period		15 years
Settlement Frameworks \| Pending Litigation
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Estimated litigation liability								$ 6,500
Litigation settlement, period		6 years
Accrued litigation obligations		$ 754
Settlement Frameworks \| Settled Litigation
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Estimated litigation liability						6,600
Accrued litigation obligations						$ 6,000
Litigation settlement, percentage of litigating subdivisions						99.70%
Estimated litigation liability, current						$ 629
Ohio Combined Cases \| Pending Litigation
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation settlement, period			15 years
Loss contingency, new claims filed, number \| case				2
Litigation settlement, amount awarded to other party			$ 651
Usual and Customary Pricing \| Pending Litigation
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Estimated litigation liability						$ 234
Rite Aid Merger
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss contingency, new claims filed, number \| case					2