CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales		$ 871,364	$ 541,391	$ 1,670,775	$ 1,075,343
Cost of sales (1)	[1]	460,743	240,441	911,664	465,376
Gross profit		410,621	300,950	759,111	609,967
Research and development (1)	[1]	137,795	95,256	285,678	179,936
Selling, general and administrative (1)	[1]	120,129	80,258	277,634	147,107
Amortization of acquired intangible assets		80,394	43,840	160,565	78,452
Special charges, net		9,543	6,648	31,578	8,205
Operating expenses		347,861	226,002	755,455	413,700
Operating income		62,760	74,948	3,656	196,267
Losses on equity method investments		(56)	(56)	(112)	(233)
Other income (expense):
Interest income		445	6,405	1,264	11,933
Interest expense		(35,126)	(25,644)	(69,542)	(49,696)
Other (loss) income, net		(2,789)	(1,696)	(779)	15,251
Income (loss) before income taxes		25,234	53,957	(65,513)	173,522
Income tax (benefit) provision		(10,340)	(10,942)	8,138	(21,837)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations		35,574	64,899	(73,651)	195,359
Loss from discontinued operations		(1,850)	0	(7,323)	0
Income tax benefit		(195)	0	(1,530)	0
Net loss from discontinued operations		(1,655)	0	(5,793)	0
Net income (loss)		33,919	64,899	(79,444)	195,359
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		0	0	0	207
Net income (loss) attributable to Microchip Technology		$ 33,919	$ 64,899	$ (79,444)	$ 195,566
Basic net income (loss) from continuing operations, per common share (in USD per share)		$ 0.17	$ 0.32	$ (0.34)	$ 0.96
Basic net loss from discontinued operations, per common share (in USD per share)		(0.01)	0.00	(0.03)	0.00
Basic net income (loss) attributable to Microchip Technology, per common share (in USD per share)		0.16	0.32	(0.37)	0.96
Diluted net income (loss) from continuing operations, per common share (in USD per share)		0.15	0.30	(0.34)	0.90
Diluted net loss from discontinued operations, per common share (in USD per share)		(0.01)	0.00	(0.03)	0.00
Diluted net income (loss) attributable to Microchip Technology, per common share (in USD per share)		0.14	0.30	(0.37)	0.90
Dividends declared per common share (in USD per share)		$ 0.3600	$ 0.3580	$ 0.7195	$ 0.7155
Basic common shares outstanding		215,524	204,275	214,935	203,254
Diluted common shares outstanding		233,960	217,099	214,935	216,933

[1] Includes share-based compensation expense as follows:Cost of sales 4,100 2,398 11,997 4,055 Research and development 10,171 8,670 27,688 15,768 Selling, general and administrative 10,119 11,958 44,284 17,315