Overview, Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	6 Months Ended
	May 06, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Fiscal periods	We operate on a 52- or 53-week fiscal year ending on the Sunday closest to October 31 in a 52-week year and the first Sunday in November in a 53-week year. Our fiscal year ending November 4, 2018, or fiscal year 2018, is a 53-week fiscal year, with our first fiscal quarter containing 14 weeks. The first quarter of our fiscal year 2018 ended on February 4, 2018, the second quarter ended on May 6, 2018 and the third quarter ends on August 5, 2018. Our fiscal year ended October 29, 2017, or fiscal year 2017, was a 52-week fiscal year.
Basis of presentation	On November 17, 2017, we acquired Brocade Communications Systems, Inc., or Brocade. The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the results of operations of Brocade commencing as of the acquisition date. See Note 2. “Acquisition of Brocade” for additional information. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Broadcom and our subsidiaries, and have been prepared by us in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, or GAAP, for interim financial information. The financial information included herein is unaudited, and reflects all adjustments which are, in the opinion of our management, of a normal recurring nature and necessary for a fair statement of the results for the periods presented. The October 29, 2017 condensed consolidated balance sheet data were derived from Broadcom-Singapore’s audited consolidated financial statements included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year 2017 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, but do not include all disclosures required by GAAP. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. The operating results for the fiscal quarter and two fiscal quarters ended May 6, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for fiscal year 2018, or for any other future period.
Use of estimates	Use of estimates. The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates, and such differences could affect the results of operations reported in future periods.
Reclassifications	Reclassifications. Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior period condensed consolidated statement of cash flows. These reclassifications had no impact on the previously reported net cash activities.
Recent accounting guidance	Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance In the first quarter of fiscal year 2018, we early adopted guidance issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, in October 2016 related to the recognition of income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory. The standard requires a modified-retrospective transition method by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the beginning of the period in which the guidance is adopted. The adoption of this guidance resulted in a decrease in current and long-term prepaid tax expense of $67 million and $199 million, respectively, an increase of $252 million to our accumulated deficit and a decrease of $14 million to our noncontrolling interest. In the second quarter of fiscal year 2018, we early adopted guidance issued by the FASB in February 2018 that allows companies to reclassify stranded income tax effects resulting from the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, or the 2017 Tax Reform Act, from accumulated other comprehensive loss to retained earnings. The stranded income tax effects resulted from the change in the federal tax rate for deferred taxes recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss. The adoption of this guidance resulted in a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the beginning of the second quarter of fiscal year 2018, which consisted of an increase to our accumulated other comprehensive loss of $16 million, an increase to retained earnings of $15 million and a $1 million increase to noncontrolling interest. Recent Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted In August 2016, the FASB issued guidance related to the classification of certain transactions on the statement of cash flows. This guidance will be effective for the first quarter of our fiscal year 2019 on a retrospective basis; and early adoption is permitted. We do not intend to adopt this guidance early and will present our statements of cash flows in accordance with this guidance upon adoption. In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance related to the accounting for leases, which among other things, requires a lessee to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet for operating leases. This guidance will be effective for the first quarter of our fiscal year 2020. The new guidance is required to be applied using a modified retrospective approach. We are evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our condensed consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB issued guidance that outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance. The new standard creates a single source of revenue guidance under GAAP, eliminating industry-specific guidance. The underlying principle of the standard is to recognize revenue when a customer obtains control of promised goods or services at an amount that reflects the consideration that is expected to be received in exchange for those goods or services. An entity should apply a five-step approach for recognizing revenue as follows: (i) identify the contract with a customer; (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determine the transaction price; (iv) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognize revenue when, or as, the entity satisfies a performance obligation. The standard also requires increased disclosures including the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenues and cash flows related to contracts with customers. The standard allows two methods of adoption: (i) retrospectively to each prior period presented (“full retrospective method”), or (ii) retrospectively with the cumulative effect recognized in retained earnings as of the date of adoption ("modified retrospective method"). We plan to adopt the new standard using the modified retrospective method at the beginning of the first quarter of fiscal year 2019. We have established a cross-functional team to assess the potential impact of the new revenue standard and are on schedule in establishing new accounting policies, processes, and internal controls necessary to support the requirements of the new standard. While we are still finalizing our analysis to quantify the adoption impact of the provisions of the new standard, the exact impact of the new standard will be dependent on facts and circumstances at adoption and could vary from quarter to quarter.
Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Basic net income per share is computed by dividing net income attributable to common stock by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock and potentially dilutive shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted shares include the dilutive effect of in-the-money stock options, RSUs and employee stock purchase plan rights under the Broadcom Limited Second Amended and Restated Employee Share Purchase Plan, as amended, or ESPP (together referred to as equity awards). Diluted shares also included shares issuable upon exchange of the LP Units for the periods presented prior to the effective time of Mandatory Exchange (refer to Note 7. “Stockholders’ Equity” for additional information). The dilutive effect of equity awards is calculated based on the average stock price for each fiscal period, using the treasury stock method. Under the treasury stock method, the amount the employee must pay for exercising stock options and to purchase shares under the ESPP and the amount of compensation cost for future service that we have not yet recognized are collectively assumed to be used to repurchase shares. The dilutive effect of the LP Units was calculated using the if-converted method. The if-converted method assumed that the LP Units were converted at the beginning of the reporting period and included net income attributable to noncontrolling interest for the period.
Segment Reporting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	The segments represent components for which separate financial information is available that is utilized on a regular basis by the Chief Executive Officer of Broadcom, who has been identified as the Chief Operating Decision Maker, or the CODM, as defined by authoritative guidance on segment reporting, in determining how to allocate resources and evaluate performance. The segments are determined based on several factors, including client base, homogeneity of products, technology, delivery channels and similar economic characteristics.