Schedule II - Valuation and Qualifying Accounts (Allowances) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 28, 2007	Mar. 30, 2013		Dec. 29, 2012		Sep. 29, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Oct. 01, 2011		Jul. 02, 2011		Mar. 30, 2013		Mar. 31, 2012		Apr. 02, 2011
Supplementary Financial Data [Abstract]
Net revenues		$ 532,168	[1]	$ 509,767	[1]	$ 543,933	[1]	$ 582,784	[1]	$ 558,973	[2]	$ 511,091	[2]	$ 555,209	[2]	$ 615,463	[2]	$ 2,168,652		$ 2,240,736		$ 2,369,445
Gross margin		351,579	[1]	339,274	[1]	356,220	[1]	384,373	[1]	371,396	[2]	336,286	[2]	354,645	[2]	392,331	[2]	1,431,446		1,454,658		1,549,887
Net income		130,620	[1]	103,648	[1]	123,437	[1]	129,831	[1]	122,405	[2]	127,014	[2]	126,286	[2]	154,374	[2]	487,536		530,079		641,875
Net income per common share:
Earnings Per Share, Basic		$ 0.50	[1],[3]	$ 0.40	[1],[3]	$ 0.47	[1],[3]	$ 0.49	[1],[3]	$ 0.46	[2],[3]	$ 0.49	[2],[3]	$ 0.48	[2],[3]	$ 0.58	[2],[3]	$ 1.86		$ 2.01		$ 2.43
Earnings Per Share, Diluted		$ 0.47	[1],[3]	$ 0.38	[1],[3]	$ 0.46	[1],[3]	$ 0.47	[1],[3]	$ 0.44	[2],[3]	$ 0.47	[2],[3]	$ 0.47	[2],[3]	$ 0.56	[2],[3]	$ 1.79		$ 1.95		$ 2.39
Shares used in per share calculations:
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Basic		263,035	[1]	260,690	[1]	260,605	[1]	263,055	[1]	263,261	[2]	261,257	[2]	264,006	[2]	265,313	[2]	261,652		263,783		264,094
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted		277,090	[1]	271,174	[1]	270,265	[1]	273,820	[1]	276,166	[2]	267,884	[2]	267,927	[2]	276,077	[2]	272,573		272,157		268,061
Cash dividends per common share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.22	[1]	$ 0.22	[1]	$ 0.22	[1]	$ 0.22	[1]	$ 0.19	[2]	$ 0.19	[2]	$ 0.19	[2]	$ 0.19	[2]
Restructuring charges														3,369	[1]			0		3,369		10,346
Litigation charges	15,400									15,400	[1]							0		15,400		0
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts [Member]
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Beginning of Year								3,446								3,579		3,446		3,579		3,628
Valuation Allowances And Reserves Additions																		0		180		0
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Deductions																		22	[4]	313	[4]	49	[4]
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, End of Year		3,424								3,446								3,424		3,446		3,579
Allowance for Deferred Tax Assets [Member]
Valuation and Qualifying Accounts Disclosure [Line Items]
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Beginning of Year								28,963								17,841		28,963		17,841		0
Valuation Allowances And Reserves Additions																		11,102		11,745		17,841
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, Deductions																		0	[4]	623	[4]	0	[4]
Valuation Allowances and Reserves, End of Year		$ 40,065								$ 28,963								$ 40,065		$ 28,963		$ 17,841

[1] Xilinx uses a 52- to 53-week fiscal year ending on the Saturday nearest March 31. Fiscal 2013 was a 52-week year and each quarter was a 13-week quarter.

[2] Xilinx uses a 52- to 53-week fiscal year ending on the Saturday nearest March 31. Fiscal 2012 was a 52-week year and each quarter was a 13-week quarter.

[3] Net income per common share is computed independently for each of the quarters presented. Therefore, the sum of the quarterly per common share information may not equal the annual net income per common share.

[4] Represents amounts written off against the allowances or customer returns.