<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2019-11-25</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000723125</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MICRON TECHNOLOGY INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MU</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001632063</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ARNZEN APRIL S</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>8000 S. FEDERAL WAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>MS 1-557</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOISE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>ID</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>83716</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>SVP, Human Resources</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-11-25</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4534</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>46.10</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>92680</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The sales reported on this Form 4  were effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person on April 9, 2019.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Number reported has been increased by 27 shares to reflect 27 shares that previously were reported as withheld for taxes on October 16, 2018, but were not withheld (transposition of numbers on the Form 4 showed 1963 shares withheld instead of 1936 shares withheld)</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Rachel Southorn, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-11-25</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
