| Schedule of Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis [Table Text Block] |
Assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of April 25, 2015 and July 26, 2014 were as follows (in millions): | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | APRIL 25, 2015 FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS | | JULY 26, 2014 FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS | | Level 1 | | Level 2 | | Level 3 | | Total Balance | | Level 1 | | Level 2 | | Level 3 | | Total Balance | Assets: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Cash equivalents: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Money market funds | $ | 2,307 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 2,307 |
| | $ | 4,935 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 4,935 |
| Corporate debt securities | — |
| | 1 |
| | — |
| | 1 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| | — |
| Available-for-sale investments: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| U.S. government securities | — |
| | 29,422 |
| | — |
| | 29,422 |
| | — |
| | 31,734 |
| | — |
| | 31,734 |
| U.S. government agency securities | — |
| | 3,262 |
| | — |
| | 3,262 |
| | — |
| | 1,063 |
| | — |
| | 1,063 |
| Non-U.S. government and agency securities | — |
| | 1,186 |
| | — |
| | 1,186 |
| | — |
| | 861 |
| | — |
| | 861 |
| Corporate debt securities | — |
| | 13,394 |
| | — |
| | 13,394 |
| | — |
| | 9,159 |
| | — |
| | 9,159 |
| U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities | — |
| | 1,362 |
| | — |
| | 1,362 |
| | — |
| | 579 |
| | — |
| | 579 |
| Publicly traded equity securities | 1,923 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 1,923 |
| | 1,952 |
| | — |
| | — |
| | 1,952 |
| Derivative assets | — |
| | 275 |
| | 1 |
| | 276 |
| | — |
| | 158 |
| | 2 |
| | 160 |
| Total | $ | 4,230 |
| | $ | 48,902 |
| | $ | 1 |
| | $ | 53,133 |
| | $ | 6,887 |
| | $ | 43,554 |
| | $ | 2 |
| | $ | 50,443 |
| Liabilities: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Derivative liabilities | $ | — |
| | $ | 131 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 131 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 67 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 67 |
| Total | $ | — |
| | $ | 131 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 131 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 67 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 67 |
|
|
| Fair Value Measurements, Nonrecurring [Table Text Block] |
The following table presents the Company's assets that were measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis during the indicated periods and the related recognized gains and losses for the periods indicated (in millions): | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | LOSSES FOR THE THREE MONTHS ENDED | | LOSSES FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED | | April 25, 2015 | | April 26, 2014 | | April 25, 2015 | | April 26, 2014 | Investments in privately held companies (impaired) | $ | (17 | ) | | $ | — |
| | $ | (20 | ) | | $ | (10 | ) | Purchased intangible assets (impaired) | (1 | ) | | — |
| | (57 | ) | | — |
| Property held for sale—land and buildings | (5 | ) | | — |
| | (5 | ) | | — |
| Total | $ | (23 | ) | | $ | — |
| | $ | (82 | ) | | $ | (10 | ) |
|