Debt (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 29, 2013	Mar. 30, 2012	Apr. 01, 2011
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt issuance costs	$ 7,000,000		$ 10,000,000
Principal amount of convertible senior notes	997,000,000	941,000,000
Principal amount of senior notes	1,000
Convertible senior shares convertible into Symantec common stock, amount	52.2951
Percentage of per share conversion price for shareholder to exceed for Senior Note conversion	130.00%
Consecutive trading days maximum for senior note conversion	30
Minimum number of days to convert held senior notes	20
Conversion price for dilution	$ 19.12
Amount of shares diluted from EPS exceeding conversion price	18,800,000
Amount reduced of shares diluted from EPS exceeding conversion price	1,800,000
Amount over conversion price per share for dilution reduction	$ 28.3175
3.95% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	3.95%
Face value	400,000,000
2.75% Senior Notes, Due June 2017 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	2.75%
Face value	600,000,000
2.75% Senior Notes, Due September 2015 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	2.75%	2.75%
Face value	350,000,000	350,000,000
4.20% Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	4.20%	4.20%
Face value	750,000,000	750,000,000
Convertible Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Effective interest rate	6.78%	6.78%
Debt issuance discount	55,000,000	56,000,000	96,000,000
Contractual interest expense	10,000,000	11,000,000	16,000,000
Fiscal 2011, Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds form issuance of senior notes	1,100,000,000
Contractual interest expense	41,000,000	41,000,000	22,000,000
Fiscal 2013, Senior Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Proceeds form issuance of senior notes	1,000,000,000
Debt issuance discount	4,000,000
Debt issuance costs	6,000,000
Contractual interest expense	26,000,000
Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of shares diluted from EPS exceeding conversion price	2,600,000
Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of shares diluted from EPS exceeding conversion price	15,700,000
Convertible Senior Notes 1.00% [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	1.00%	1.00%
Face value	$ 1,000,000,000	$ 1,000,000,000
June 15, 2013 Common Stock Purchase Option Expiration Date [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of shares available to purchase under note hedge transactions	52,000,000
Investment options, expiration date	Jun. 15, 2013
Warrant [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Conversion price for dilution	$ 27.3175
Warrant [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Investment options, expiration date	Aug. 30, 2013
Convertible Senior Notes Combined With Warrants [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount over conversion price per share for dilution	$ 1.00