Revenue - Impacts of Adoption of ASC 606 to Statements of Operations (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 26, 2019	Apr. 27, 2018	Apr. 28, 2017
Revenues:
Net revenues	$ 6,146	$ 5,919	$ 5,491
Cost of revenues:
Total cost of revenues	2,201	2,210	2,127
Gross profit	3,945	3,709	3,364
Operating expenses:
Sales and marketing	1,657	1,706	1,651
Research and development	827	783	779
General and administrative	278	280	271
Restructuring charges	35	0	52
Gain on sale or derecognition of assets	(73)	(218)	(10)
Total operating expenses	2,724	2,551	2,743
Income from operations	1,221	1,158	621
Other income (expense), net	47	41	0
Income before income taxes	1,268	1,199	621
Provision for income taxes	99	1,083	140
Net income	$ 1,169	$ 116	$ 481
Net income per share:
Basic	$ 4.60	$ 0.43	$ 1.75
Diluted	$ 4.51	$ 0.42	$ 1.71
Shares used in net income per share calculations:
Basic	254	268	275
Diluted	259	276	281
Product [Member]
Revenues:
Net revenues	$ 3,755	$ 3,525	$ 3,060
Cost of revenues:
Total cost of revenues	1,752	1,738	1,612
Software Maintenance [Member]
Revenues:
Net revenues	946	902	905
Cost of revenues:
Total cost of revenues	35	25	28
Hardware Maintenance and Other Services [Member]
Revenues:
Net revenues	1,445	1,492	1,526
Cost of revenues:
Total cost of revenues	$ 414	447	487
As Previously Reported | ASC 606
Revenues:
Net revenues		5,911	5,519
Cost of revenues:
Total cost of revenues		2,212	2,129
Gross profit		3,699	3,390
Operating expenses:
Sales and marketing		1,729	1,633
Research and development		783	779
General and administrative		280	271
Restructuring charges			52
Gain on sale or derecognition of assets		(218)	(10)
Total operating expenses		2,574	2,725
Income from operations		1,125	665
Other income (expense), net		41	0
Income before income taxes		1,166	665
Provision for income taxes		1,090	156
Net income		$ 76	$ 509
Net income per share:
Basic		$ 0.28	$ 1.85
Diluted		$ 0.28	$ 1.81
Shares used in net income per share calculations:
Basic		268	275
Diluted		276	281
As Previously Reported | Product [Member] | ASC 606
Revenues:
Net revenues		$ 3,461	$ 3,006
Cost of revenues:
Total cost of revenues		1,738	1,614
As Previously Reported | Software Maintenance [Member] | ASC 606
Revenues:
Net revenues		958	965
Cost of revenues:
Total cost of revenues		25	28
As Previously Reported | Hardware Maintenance and Other Services [Member] | ASC 606
Revenues:
Net revenues		1,492	1,548
Cost of revenues:
Total cost of revenues		449	487
Impact of ASC 606 Adoption | ASC 606
Revenues:
Net revenues		8	(28)
Cost of revenues:
Total cost of revenues		(2)	(2)
Gross profit		10	(26)
Operating expenses:
Sales and marketing		(23)	18
Research and development		0	0
General and administrative		0	0
Restructuring charges			0
Gain on sale or derecognition of assets		0	0
Total operating expenses		(23)	18
Income from operations		33	(44)
Other income (expense), net		0	0
Income before income taxes		33	(44)
Provision for income taxes		(7)	(16)
Net income		$ 40	$ (28)
Net income per share:
Basic		$ 0.15	$ (0.10)
Diluted		$ 0.14	$ (0.10)
Shares used in net income per share calculations:
Basic		268	275
Diluted		276	281
Impact of ASC 606 Adoption | Product [Member] | ASC 606
Revenues:
Net revenues		$ 64	$ 54
Cost of revenues:
Total cost of revenues		0	(2)
Impact of ASC 606 Adoption | Software Maintenance [Member] | ASC 606
Revenues:
Net revenues		(56)	(60)
Cost of revenues:
Total cost of revenues		0	0
Impact of ASC 606 Adoption | Hardware Maintenance and Other Services [Member] | ASC 606
Revenues:
Net revenues		0	(22)
Cost of revenues:
Total cost of revenues		$ (2)	$ 0