Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Credit Carryforwards, Swiss Tax Credits

No definition available.

Name:	isrg_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwardsSwissTaxCredits
Namespace Prefix:	isrg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Foreign Tax Reform, Amount

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	isrg_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationForeignTaxReformAmount
Namespace Prefix:	isrg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Swiss Tax Expense (Benefit), Net of Valuation Allowance

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	isrg_EffectiveIncomeTaxRateReconciliationSwissTaxExpenseBenefitNetOfValuationAllowance
Namespace Prefix:	isrg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Swiss Tax Expense (Benefit), Valuation Allowance

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	isrg_SwissTaxExpenseBenefitValuationAllowance
Namespace Prefix:	isrg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of decrease reasonably possible in the next twelve months for the unrecognized tax benefit.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/otherTransitionRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (d)(3)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-15

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible research tax credit carryforwards.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-6

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be realized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-2

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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_IncomeTaxContingencyLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of operating loss carryforward, before tax effects, available to reduce future taxable income under enacted tax laws.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-3

+ Details

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

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of liabilities incurred through that date and payable for statutory sales and use taxes, including value added tax.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(15)(5))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147478546/942-210-S99-1

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalesAndExciseTaxPayableCurrentAndNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of unrecognized tax benefits.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 55
-Paragraph 217
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482663/740-10-55-217

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-15A

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10B
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482525/740-10-45-10B

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of interest expense accrued for an underpayment of income taxes.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147482685/740-10-50-15

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesAccrued
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis=isrg_ResearchTaxCreditCarryforwardOtherMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityNameAxis=us-gaap_CaliforniaFranchiseTaxBoardMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis=isrg_ResearchTaxCreditCarryforwardStateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Income Taxes - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Income Tax Holiday [Line Items]
Swiss tax benefits, net of valuation allowance	$ 0.0	$ 92.3	$ 0.0
Swiss tax benefits, valuation allowance		67.3
One-time tax benefit	0.0	67.1	0.0
Excise tax accrued	0.0
Net operating loss carryforwards	103.1
Swiss tax credit carryforwards	107.4	122.4
Research and development credit carryforwards	240.3	193.2
Valuation allowance	314.8	269.8
Gross interest related to unrecognized tax benefits accrued	37.0	31.2	21.0
Total gross unrecognized tax benefits	310.0	$ 260.4	$ 252.6	$ 222.5
Unrecognized tax benefits that would impact effective tax rate	217.4
Decrease in unrecognized tax benefits is reasonably possible	65.0
Research Tax Credit Carryforward, Other
Income Tax Holiday [Line Items]
Research and development credit carryforwards	3.7
California Franchise Tax Board \| Research Tax Credit Carryforward, State
Income Tax Holiday [Line Items]
Research and development credit carryforwards	$ 329.2