Share-Based Compensation - Outstanding and Exercisable Options Ranges (Details) $ / shares in Units, shares in Millions, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2024 USD ($) $ / shares shares
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Options Outstanding, Number of Shares \| shares	7.1
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life	4 years 1 month 6 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 192.90
Options Outstanding, Aggregate Intrinsic Value \| $	$ 2,324.0
Options Exercisable, Number of Shares \| shares	6.1
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life	4 years
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 181.18
Options Exercisable, Aggregate Intrinsic Value \| $	$ 2,063.0
Closing stock price (usd per share)	$ 521.96
Exercise Price Range 1
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Range of Exercise Prices, minimum (usd per share)	51.86
Range of Exercise Prices, maximum (usd per share)	$ 77.00
Options Outstanding, Number of Shares \| shares	1.0
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life	1 year 1 month 6 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 65.25
Options Exercisable, Number of Shares \| shares	1.0
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 65.25
Exercise Price Range 2
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Range of Exercise Prices, minimum (usd per share)	77.04
Range of Exercise Prices, maximum (usd per share)	$ 139.52
Options Outstanding, Number of Shares \| shares	1.0
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life	2 years 7 months 6 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 109.40
Options Exercisable, Number of Shares \| shares	1.0
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 109.40
Exercise Price Range 3
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Range of Exercise Prices, minimum (usd per share)	143.49
Range of Exercise Prices, maximum (usd per share)	$ 174.26
Options Outstanding, Number of Shares \| shares	0.9
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life	4 years 2 months 12 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 169.07
Options Exercisable, Number of Shares \| shares	0.9
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 169.07
Exercise Price Range 4
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Range of Exercise Prices, minimum (usd per share)	175.53
Range of Exercise Prices, maximum (usd per share)	$ 182.83
Options Outstanding, Number of Shares \| shares	0.8
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life	4 years 7 months 6 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 179.98
Options Exercisable, Number of Shares \| shares	0.8
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 179.98
Exercise Price Range 5
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Range of Exercise Prices, minimum (usd per share)	182.90
Range of Exercise Prices, maximum (usd per share)	$ 229.39
Options Outstanding, Number of Shares \| shares	1.1
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life	4 years 10 months 24 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 217.17
Options Exercisable, Number of Shares \| shares	0.7
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 213.20
Exercise Price Range 6
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Range of Exercise Prices, minimum (usd per share)	235.20
Range of Exercise Prices, maximum (usd per share)	$ 245.60
Options Outstanding, Number of Shares \| shares	0.8
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life	5 years 9 months 18 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 243.86
Options Exercisable, Number of Shares \| shares	0.7
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 243.81
Exercise Price Range 7
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Range of Exercise Prices, minimum (usd per share)	249.83
Range of Exercise Prices, maximum (usd per share)	$ 304.67
Options Outstanding, Number of Shares \| shares	1.1
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life	5 years
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 296.46
Options Exercisable, Number of Shares \| shares	0.6
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 293.94
Exercise Price Range 8
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Range of Exercise Prices, minimum (usd per share)	313.64
Range of Exercise Prices, maximum (usd per share)	$ 340.27
Options Outstanding, Number of Shares \| shares	0.0
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life	5 years 4 months 24 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 318.18
Options Exercisable, Number of Shares \| shares	0.0
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 317.68
Exercise Price Range 9
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Range of Exercise Prices, minimum (usd per share)	341.16
Range of Exercise Prices, maximum (usd per share)	$ 341.16
Options Outstanding, Number of Shares \| shares	0.0
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life	6 years 8 months 12 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 341.16
Options Exercisable, Number of Shares \| shares	0.0
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 341.16
Exercise Price Range 10
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]
Range of Exercise Prices, minimum (usd per share)	347.42
Range of Exercise Prices, maximum (usd per share)	$ 347.42
Options Outstanding, Number of Shares \| shares	0.4
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life	6 years 7 months 6 days
Options Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 347.42
Options Exercisable, Number of Shares \| shares	0.4
Options Exercisable, Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share (usd per share)	$ 347.42

Amount by which the current fair value of the underlying stock exceeds the exercise price of options outstanding.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The floor of a customized range of exercise prices for purposes of disclosing shares potentially issuable under outstanding stock option awards on all stock option plans and other required information pertaining to awards in the customized range.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (g)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of shares reserved for issuance pertaining to the outstanding exercisable stock options as of the balance sheet date in the customized range of exercise prices for which the market and performance vesting condition has been satisfied.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(iii)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of shares reserved for issuance pertaining to the outstanding stock options as of the balance sheet date for all option plans in the customized range of exercise prices.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(ii)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(i)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The ceiling of a customized range of exercise prices for purposes of disclosing shares potentially issuable under outstanding stock option awards on all stock option plans and other required information pertaining to awards in the customized range.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeUpperRangeLimit
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Price of a single share of a number of saleable stocks of a company.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of difference between fair value of the underlying shares reserved for issuance and exercise price of vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Weighted average remaining contractual term for vested portions of options outstanding and currently exercisable or convertible, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average exercise price as of the balance sheet date for those equity-based payment arrangements exercisable and outstanding.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(iii)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeExercisableOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePrice1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The weighted average price as of the balance sheet date at which grantees could acquire the underlying shares with respect to all outstanding stock options which are in the customized range of exercise prices.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeOutstandingOptionsWeightedAverageExercisePriceBeginningBalance1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	dtr-types:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Weighted average remaining contractual term of outstanding stock options, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Subparagraph (e)(1)
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Paragraph 2
-Section 50
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480429/718-10-50-2

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeOutstandingOptionsWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm2
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=isrg_RangeOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=isrg_RangeTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=isrg_RangeThreeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=isrg_RangeFourMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=isrg_RangeFiveMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=isrg_RangeSixMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=isrg_RangeSevenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=isrg_RangeEightMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=isrg_RangeNineMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis=isrg_RangeTenMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: