Balance Sheet Details (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jul. 25, 2015	Jul. 26, 2014	Jul. 27, 2013
Inventories:
Raw materials	$ 114	$ 77
Work in process	2	5
Distributor inventory and deferred cost of sales	610	595
Manufactured finished goods	593	606
Total finished goods	1,203	1,201
Service-related spares	258	273
Demonstration systems	50	35
Total	1,627	1,591
Property and equipment, net:
Land, buildings, and building and leasehold improvements	4,495	4,468
Computer equipment and related software	1,310	1,425
Production, engineering, and other equipment	5,753	5,756
Operating lease assets	372	362
Furniture and fixtures	497	509
Property, plant and equipment, gross	12,427	12,520
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization	(9,095)	(9,268)
Total	3,332	3,252	$ 3,322
Other assets:
Deferred tax assets	1,648	1,700
Investments in privately held companies	897	899
Other	618	668
Total	3,163	3,267
Deferred Revenue Arrangement [Line Items]
Deferred revenue:	15,183	14,142
Current	9,824	9,478
Noncurrent	5,359	4,664
Service
Deferred Revenue Arrangement [Line Items]
Deferred revenue:	9,757	9,640
Product:
Deferred Revenue Arrangement [Line Items]
Deferred revenue:	5,426	4,502
Product: | Unrecognized revenue on product shipments and other deferred revenue
Deferred Revenue Arrangement [Line Items]
Deferred revenue:	4,766	3,924
Product: | Cash receipts related to unrecognized revenue from two-tier distributors
Deferred Revenue Arrangement [Line Items]
Deferred revenue:	$ 660	$ 578