This item represents the net profit realized on the sale of debt or equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities.

Name:	aapl_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesNetRealizedGains
Namespace Prefix:	aapl
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate fair value of assets that are already received, at the end of the reporting period, as collateral for derivative instruments.

+ Details

Name:	aapl_CollateralAlreadyReceivedAggregateFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	aapl
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The maximum maturity period (in years) for the Company's long term marketable securities.

+ Details

Name:	aapl_LongTermMarketableSecuritiesMaturitiesTermMaximum
Namespace Prefix:	aapl
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The minimum maturity period (in years) for the Company's long term marketable securities.

+ Details

Name:	aapl_LongTermMarketableSecuritiesMaturitiesTermMinimum
Namespace Prefix:	aapl
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of vendors representing a significant portion of trade receivables.

+ Details

Name:	aapl_NumberOfSignificantVendors
Namespace Prefix:	aapl
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of Total Non Trade Receivables

+ Details

Name:	aapl_PercentageOfTotalNonTradeReceivables
Namespace Prefix:	aapl
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of Total Trade Receivables

+ Details

Name:	aapl_PercentageOfTotalTradeReceivables
Namespace Prefix:	aapl
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Range of time over which the entity is hedging its exposure to variability in future cash flows for forecasted transactions, excluding those forecasted transactions related to the payment of variable interest or existing financial instruments.

+ Details

Name:	aapl_RangeOfTimeHedgedInCashFlowHedge
Namespace Prefix:	aapl
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Accumulated change, net of tax, in accumulated gains and losses from derivative instruments designated and qualifying as the effective portion of cash flow hedges. Includes an entity's share of an equity investee's Increase or Decrease in deferred hedging gains or losses.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 220

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 13

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6920043&loc=d3e653-108580

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6887037&loc=d3e80784-113994

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 130

-Paragraph 26

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 220

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 11

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6920043&loc=d3e637-108580

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 220

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 14

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6920043&loc=d3e681-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossCumulativeChangesInNetGainLossFromCashFlowHedgesEffectNetOfTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The aggregate fair value of assets that are already posted, at the end of the reporting period, as collateral for derivative instruments with credit-risk-related contingent features.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4H

-Subparagraph (d)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6935481&loc=SL5624258-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 133

-Paragraph 44D

-Subparagraph c

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CollateralAlreadyPostedAggregateFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Net gain (loss) from the increase (decrease) in fair value of derivative instrument not designated as hedging instrument.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 133

-Paragraph 45

-Subparagraph b(1)(b)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4C

-Subparagraph (e)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6935481&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet
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.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentsOwnedAndPledgedAsCollateralLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum length of time over which the entity is hedging its exposure to the variability in future cash flows for forecasted transactions, excluding those forecasted transactions related to the payment of variable interest on existing financial instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 133

-Paragraph 45

-Subparagraph b(3)

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (d)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6887037&loc=d3e80748-113994

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MaximumLengthOfTimeHedgedInCashFlowHedge
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	us-types:durationStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Financial Instruments - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 24, 2011 Year Contract Country Store Vendor	Sep. 25, 2010 Vendor	Sep. 26, 2009
Financial Instruments Owned and Pledged as Collateral [Line Items]
Net realized gains on marketable securities	$ 110
Maturities of long-term marketable securities, minimum	1 year
Maturities of long-term marketable securities, maximum	5 years
Range of time hedged in cash flow hedge	The Company typically hedges portions of its forecasted foreign currency exposure associated with revenue and inventory purchases generally up to six months.
Hedged transactions, expected occurrence	6 months
Net gain (loss) on foreign currency forward and option contracts not designated as hedging instruments	(158)	(123)	(133)
Net deferred gain (loss) associated with cash flow hedges	290	(252)	1
Cash collateral received, derivative Instruments	288
Cash collateral posted, derivative Instruments		$ 445
Number of vendors representing a significant portion of trade receivables	0	2
Customer One Concentration Risk
Financial Instruments Owned and Pledged as Collateral [Line Items]
Trade receivables from customer, percentage of total trade receivables		15.00%
Customer Two Concentration Risk
Financial Instruments Owned and Pledged as Collateral [Line Items]
Trade receivables from customer, percentage of total trade receivables		12.00%
Total Cellular Network Carriers
Financial Instruments Owned and Pledged as Collateral [Line Items]
Trade receivables from customer, percentage of total trade receivables	52.00%	64.00%
Vendor One
Financial Instruments Owned and Pledged as Collateral [Line Items]
Vendor non-trade receivables, as percentage of total non-trade receivable	53.00%	57.00%
Vendor Two
Financial Instruments Owned and Pledged as Collateral [Line Items]
Vendor non-trade receivables, as percentage of total non-trade receivable	29.00%	24.00%