Debt - Extinguishment of Debt (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Sep. 01, 2011 integer	Nov. 03, 2010
Features of Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Convertible debt due 2027, minimum number of trading days (in days)	20D
Convertible debt due 2027, consecutive trading period (in days)	30D
Convertible Senior Notes Due 2014 [Member]
Extinguishment of Debt [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value		$ 351,000,000
Convertible Senior Notes Due 2014 [Member] \| Repurchased [Member]
Extinguishment of Debt [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value		176,000,000
Repayments of convertible debt		171,000,000
Debt Repurchase Original Debt Convertible Debt Carrying Value Derecognized		144,000,000
Debt Repurchase Original Debt Convertible Debt Unamortized Discount Derecognized		32,000,000
Decrease To Additional Paid In Capital Equity Component Of Convertible Debt		13,000,000
Loss on repurchase or exchange of debt		17,000,000
Fair value of convertible debt instruments		158,000,000
Convertible Senior Notes Due 2014 [Member] \| Exchanged [Member]
Extinguishment of Debt [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value		175,000,000
Debt Repurchase Original Debt Convertible Debt Carrying Value Derecognized		144,000,000
Debt Repurchase Original Debt Convertible Debt Unamortized Discount Derecognized		31,000,000
Decrease To Additional Paid In Capital Equity Component Of Convertible Debt		13,000,000
Loss on repurchase or exchange of debt		15,000,000
Fair value of convertible debt instruments		157,000,000
Debt conversion, debt and unamortized debt issuance costs component of 1.875% Convertible Senior Notes due 2014 being exchanged		142,000,000
Features of Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Convertible debt due 2027, aggregate principal amount		175,000,000
Convertible Senior Notes Due 2013 [Member] \| Repurchased [Member]
Extinguishment of Debt [Line Items]
Debt instrument, face value		91,000,000
Repayments of convertible debt		166,000,000
Loss on repurchase or exchange of debt		79,000,000
Convertible Senior Notes Due 2027 [Member]
Features of Convertible Debt [Abstract]
Convertible debt due 2027, equity component		40,000,000
Convertible debt due 2027, deferred debt issuance costs		2,000,000
Convertible debt due 2027, initial conversion rate (in shares)	91.7431
Convertible debt due 2027, principal amount per debenture used in coversion rate	$ 1,000
Convertible debt due 2027, threshold percentage of applicable conversion price (in hundredths)	130.00%
Convertible debt due 2027, approximate minimum closing price	$ 14.17
Factor used to determine eligibility for conversion (in hundredths)	0.98
Convertible debt due 2027, date entity may redeem the notes	6/1/2014
Convertible debt due 2027, date until make-whole premium expires	5/31/2014

The approximate minimum closing price required for the minimum number of trading days during the consecutive trading period to determine eligibility of holders to convert their notes.

Name:	mu_ConvertibleDebtDue2027ApproximateMinimumClosingPrice
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date the entity may elect to redeem all or any portion of the notes, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount, plus accrued interest.

+ Details

Name:	mu_ConvertibleDebtDue2027DateEntityMayElectToRedeemPortionOfNotes
Namespace Prefix:	mu
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

If the entity terminates the conversion right, a make-whole premium will be paid equal to the accrued interest as of the conversion date plus the interest that would have been paid through May 30, 2014.

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash outflow from the repayment of debt instrument which can be exchanged for a specified amount of another security, typically the entity's common stock, at the option of the issuer or the holder.

+ Details

Name:	mu_ConvertibleDebtRepayments
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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The derecognized carrying value in debt for the principal and unamortized debt issuance costs of the 2014 Note that was extinguished in the exchange transaction.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	mu
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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of trading days in a consecutive period ending on the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter used in calculating eligibility of holders to convert their notes.

+ Details

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- Definition

Minimum number of trading days in the specified consecutive trading period for the closing price of common stock to be more than a designated percentage of the then applicable conversion price for determining eligibility for holders to convert their notes.

+ Details

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- Definition

Minimum percentage that the common stock price for a number of specified trading days in a specified consecutive day trading period must exceed the applicable conversion price to determine eligibility of holders to convert their notes.

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount of debt issuance costs that were incurred during a noncash or partial noncash transaction that have been deferred an are included in other noncurrent assets.

+ Details

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- Definition

The derecognized carrying value in debt for the principal of the 2014 Note that was repurchased or exchanged in the transaction.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
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- Definition

The derecognized unamortized discount related to the debt component of the 2014 Note convertible debt that was repurchased or exchanged in the transaction.

+ Details

Name:	mu_DebtRepurchaseOriginalDebtConvertibleDebtUnamortizedDiscountDerecognized
Namespace Prefix:	mu
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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Decrease to additional paid in capital resulting from the repurchase or exchange of convertible debt instruments as two separate components-a debt component and an equity component. This bifurcation may result in a basis difference associated with the liability component that represents a temporary difference for purposes of applying SFAS 109, Accounting for Income Taxes. The derecognition of deferred taxes for the tax effect of that temporary difference is as an adjustment to additional paid in capital.

+ Details

Name:	mu_DecreaseToAdditionalPaidInCapitalEquityComponentOfConvertibleDebt
Namespace Prefix:	mu
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Gross amount of debt extinguished.

+ Details

Name:	mu_FaceValueOfDebtRepurchased
Namespace Prefix:	mu
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

if the trading price of the 2014 Notes is less than this factor (98%) of the product of the closing price of our common stock and the conversion rate during the periods specified in the indenture, then the holders may convert the debt

+ Details

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- Definition

Features of Convertible Debt [Abstract]

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount represents the difference between the fair value of the payments made and the carrying amount of the debt at the time of its extinguishment.

+ Details

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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Increase to additional paid in capital resulting from the issuance of convertible debt instruments as two separate components-a debt component and an equity component. This bifurcation may result in a basis difference associated with the liability component that represents a temporary difference for purposes of applying SFAS 109, Accounting for Income Taxes. The initial recognition of deferred taxes for the tax effect of that temporary difference is as an adjustment to additional paid in capital.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	mu
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The principal amount per debenture used in conversion rate

+ Details

Name:	mu_PrincipalAmountPerDebentureUsedInCoversionRate
Namespace Prefix:	mu
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. Fair value of convertible debt at the balance sheet date.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- Definition

The ratio applied to the debt for purposes of determining the number of shares of the equity security into which the debt will be converted.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 129

-Paragraph 4

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

The stated principal amount of the debt instrument at time of issuance, which may vary from the carrying amount because of unamortized premium or discount.

+ References

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

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 21

-Paragraph 16, 20

+ Details

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- 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

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