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Fair Value Measurements (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Oct. 26, 2014
Oct. 27, 2013
Oct. 28, 2012
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]      
Fair value of level one and level two transfers amount $ 0amat_FairValueOfLevelOneAndLevelTwoTransfersAmount $ 0amat_FairValueOfLevelOneAndLevelTwoTransfersAmount  
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring [Member] | Level 3 [Member]      
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]      
Equity investments in privately-held companies measured on non-recurring basis 9,000,000us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
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/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
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10,000,000us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
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Equity Investments In Privately Held Companies [Member]      
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]      
Impairments of investments 15,000,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= amat_EquityInvestmentsInPrivatelyHeldCompaniesMember
6,000,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= amat_EquityInvestmentsInPrivatelyHeldCompaniesMember
17,000,000us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= amat_EquityInvestmentsInPrivatelyHeldCompaniesMember
Reported Value Measurement [Member]      
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]      
Long-term debt, carrying value 1,900,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
1,900,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
 
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Short Term And Long Term Investments [Member] | Equity Investments In Privately Held Companies [Member]      
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]      
Equity investments in privately-held companies measured on non-recurring basis 66,000,000us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= amat_EquityInvestmentsInPrivatelyHeldCompaniesMember
/ us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsCashAndCashEquivalentsAxis
= amat_ShortTermAndLongTermInvestmentsMember
76,000,000us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
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/ us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalentsCashAndCashEquivalentsAxis
= amat_ShortTermAndLongTermInvestmentsMember
 
Portion at Other than Fair Value Measurement [Member]      
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]      
Equity investments in privately-held companies measured on non-recurring basis 57,000,000us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_PortionAtOtherThanFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
66,000,000us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
= us-gaap_PortionAtOtherThanFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
 
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Level 2 [Member]      
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]      
Long-term debt, carrying value $ 2,200,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
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/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
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$ 2,100,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis
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