Financial Instruments - Pre-Tax Gains and Losses of Derivative and Non-Derivative Instruments Designated as Cash Flow, Net Investment and Fair Value Hedges (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Jun. 25, 2016	Jun. 27, 2015	Jun. 25, 2016	Jun. 27, 2015
Cash flow hedges
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gains/(Losses) recognized in OCI - effective portion	$ (181)	$ (33)	$ (35)	$ 3,626
Gains/(Losses) reclassified from AOCI into net income - effective portion	139	1,416	1,315	2,892
Cash flow hedges \| Foreign exchange contracts
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gains/(Losses) recognized in OCI - effective portion	(170)	(34)	18	3,716
Gains/(Losses) reclassified from AOCI into net income - effective portion	142	1,420	1,325	2,905
Cash flow hedges \| Interest rate contracts
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gains/(Losses) recognized in OCI - effective portion	(11)	1	(53)	(90)
Gains/(Losses) reclassified from AOCI into net income - effective portion	(3)	(4)	(10)	(13)
Net investment hedges
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gains/(Losses) recognized in OCI - effective portion	(128)	49	(205)	161
Net investment hedges \| Foreign exchange contracts
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gains/(Losses) recognized in OCI - effective portion	0	55	0	167
Net investment hedges \| Foreign currency debt
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gains/(Losses) recognized in OCI - effective portion	(128)	(6)	(205)	(6)
Fair value hedges \| Interest rate contracts
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gains/(Losses) on derivative instruments	345	(254)	484	(15)
Gains/(Losses) related to hedged items	$ (345)	$ 254	$ (484)	$ 15

Amount of the increase (decrease) in fair value of the hedged item in a fair value hedge recognized in the income statement.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 25
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6886632&loc=d3e76258-113986

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ChangeInUnrealizedGainLossOnHedgedItemInFairValueHedge1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in the fair value of derivatives recognized in the income statement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4A
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5618551-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (a),(c),(d),(e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeGainLossOnDerivativeNet
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

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The effective portion of net gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income into income on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5624171-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5624177-113959

+ Details

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

- Definition

The effective portion of gains and losses (net) on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments that was recognized in other comprehensive income during the current period.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_NetInvestmentHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=aapl_ForeignCurrencyDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_FairValueHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: