Shareholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) Share data in Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Jan. 26, 2013	Oct. 27, 2012	Oct. 29, 2011
Shareholders Equity [Line Items]
Adjustments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation		$ 203,000,000	$ 137,000,000
Shares Paid for Tax Withholding for Share Based Compensation		11	9
Payments of Dividends		744,000,000	322,000,000
Dividends Payable, Date of Record, Day, Month and Year	Nov. 29, 2012
Dividends Payable, Date Declared, Day, Month and Year	Nov. 15, 2012
Cash dividends declared per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.14	$ 0.14	$ 0.06
Dividends Payable, Date to be Paid, Day, Month and Year	Dec. 19, 2012
Remaining Aggregate Authorized Common Stock Repurchase		5,600,000,000
Aggregate Authorized Common Stock Repurchase		$ 82,000,000,000

Aggregate Authorized Common Stock Repurchase

No definition available.

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- Definition

Remaining Aggregate Authorized Common Stock Repurchase

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	csco_ShareholdersEquityLineItems
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- Definition

The amount of adjustment to stockholders' equity associated with an employee's income tax withholding obligation as part of a net-share settlement of a share-based award.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Aggregate dividends paid during the period for each share of common stock outstanding.

+ References

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Article 3

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6959260&loc=d3e187085-122770

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
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- Definition

The day, month, and year (YYYY-MM-DD) that the dividend declared as of or prior to the financial reporting date will be paid in the subsequent period.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4304-108586

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The day, month and year (YYYY-MM-DD) that the dividend to be paid was declared.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 32

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4304-108586

+ Details

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- Definition

The date as of when a holder must own the stock to be entitled to the dividend. The ex-dividend date is generally 3 days before the record date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The cash outflow from the entity's earnings to the shareholders.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6943989&loc=d3e3291-108585

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 18

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 20

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Financing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For net-share settlement of share-based awards when the employer settles employees' income tax withholding obligations, this element represents the number of shares the employees use to repay the employer.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration