| Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract] | Period [Axis] | 
|---|
2011-10-31 - 2012-10-28  | 
|---|
Goodwill and Intangible Assets Disclosure [Abstract]  |    | 
Summary of purchased technology and intangible assets  | A summary of Applied's purchased technology and intangible assets is set forth below:  |   |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |     | October 28,  2012  |    | October 30,  2011  |     |    |    |    |     | (In millions)  |  Purchased technology, net  | $  | 945  | 
 
  |    | $  | 127  | 
 
  |  Intangible assets - finite-lived, net  | 268  | 
 
  |    | 84  | 
 
  |  Intangible assets - indefinite-lived  | 142  | 
 
  |    | —  | 
 
  |  Total  | $  | 1,355  | 
 
  |    | $  | 211  | 
 
  |  
     | 
Indefinite-lived intangible assets  | Details of goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets were as follows:    |   |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |     | October 28, 2012  |    | October 30, 2011  |     | Goodwill  |    | Other Intangible Assets  |    | Total  |    | Goodwill  |    | Other Intangible Assets  |    | Total  |     |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |     | (In millions)  |  Silicon Systems Group  | $  | 2,151  | 
 
  |    | $  | 142  | 
 
  |    | $  | 2,293  | 
 
  |    | $  | 381  | 
 
  |    | $  | —  | 
 
  |    | $  | 381  | 
 
  |  Applied Global Services  | 1,027  | 
 
  |    | —  | 
 
  |    | 1,027  | 
 
  |    | 193  | 
 
  |    | —  | 
 
  |    | 193  | 
 
  |  Display  | 116  | 
 
  |    | —  | 
 
  |    | 116  | 
 
  |    | 116  | 
 
  |    | —  | 
 
  |    | 116  | 
 
  |  Energy and Environmental Solutions  | 224  | 
 
  |    | —  | 
 
  |    | 224  | 
 
  |    | 645  | 
 
  |    | —  | 
 
  |    | 645  | 
 
  |  Carrying amount  | $  | 3,518  | 
 
  |    | $  | 142  | 
 
  |    | $  | 3,660  | 
 
  |    | $  | 1,335  | 
 
  |    | $  | —  | 
 
  |    | $  | 1,335  | 
 
  |  
     | 
Amortized intangible assets  | Details of finite-lived intangible assets were as follows:    |   |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |     | October 28, 2012  |    | October 30, 2011  |     | Purchased Technology  |    | Other Intangible Assets  |    | Total  |    | Purchased Technology  |    | Other Intangible Assets  |    | Total  |     |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |     | (In millions)  |  Gross carrying amount:  |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |  Silicon Systems Group  | $  | 1,300  | 
 
  |    | $  | 252  | 
 
  |    | $  | 1,552  | 
 
  |    | $  | 310  | 
 
  |    | $  | 20  | 
 
  |    | $  | 330  | 
 
  |  Applied Global Services  | 28  | 
 
  |    | 44  | 
 
  |    | 72  | 
 
  |    | 28  | 
 
  |    | 40  | 
 
  |    | 68  | 
 
  |  Display  | 110  | 
 
  |    | 33  | 
 
  |    | 143  | 
 
  |    | 110  | 
 
  |    | 33  | 
 
  |    | 143  | 
 
  |  Energy and Environmental Solutions  | 105  | 
 
  |    | 232  | 
 
  |    | 337  | 
 
  |    | 105  | 
 
  |    | 232  | 
 
  |    | 337  | 
 
  |  Gross carrying amount  | $  | 1,543  | 
 
  |    | $  | 561  | 
 
  |    | $  | 2,104  | 
 
  |    | $  | 553  | 
 
  |    | $  | 325  | 
 
  |    | $  | 878  | 
 
  |  Accumulated amortization:  |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |  Silicon Systems Group  | $  | (411  | )  |    | $  | (36  | )  |    | $  | (447  | )  |    | $  | (256  | )  |    | $  | (8  | )  |    | $  | (264  | )  |  Applied Global Services  | (22  | )  |    | (39  | )  |    | (61  | )  |    | (20  | )  |    | (31  | )  |    | (51  | )  |  Display  | (106  | )  |    | (27  | )  |    | (133  | )  |    | (102  | )  |    | (25  | )  |    | (127  | )  |  Energy and Environmental Solutions  | (59  | )  |    | (191  | )  |    | (250  | )  |    | (48  | )  |    | (177  | )  |    | (225  | )  |  Accumulated amortization  | $  | (598  | )  |    | $  | (293  | )  |    | $  | (891  | )  |    | $  | (426  | )  |    | $  | (241  | )  |    | $  | (667  | )  |  Carrying amount  | $  | 945  | 
 
  |    | $  | 268  | 
 
  |    | $  | 1,213  | 
 
  |    | $  | 127  | 
 
  |    | $  | 84  | 
 
  |    | $  | 211  | 
 
  |  
     | 
Summary of amortization expense  | Details of amortization expense by segment for fiscal 2012, 2011 and 2010 were as follows:  |   |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |     | 2012  |    | 2011  |    | 2010  |     |    |    |    |    |    |     | (In millions)  |  Silicon Systems Group  | $  | 183  | 
 
  |    | $  | 13  | 
 
  |    | $  | 21  | 
 
  |  Applied Global Services  | 9  | 
 
  |    | 7  | 
 
  |    | 9  | 
 
  |  Display  | 7  | 
 
  |    | 8  | 
 
  |    | 8  | 
 
  |  Energy and Environmental Solutions  | 25  | 
 
  |    | 24  | 
 
  |    | 44  | 
 
  |  Total  | $  | 224  | 
 
  |    | $  | 52  | 
 
  |    | $  | 82  | 
 
  |  
     | 
Schedule of categories amortization expense was charged to  | For fiscal 2012, 2011 and 2010, amortization expense was charged to the following categories:  |   |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |     | 2012  |    | 2011  |    | 2010  |     |    |    |    |    |    |     | (In millions)  |  Cost of products sold  | $  | 185  | 
 
  |    | $  | 36  | 
 
  |    | $  | 63  | 
 
  |  Research, development and engineering  | 1  | 
 
  |    | —  | 
 
  |    | 1  | 
 
  |  Selling, general and administrative  | 38  | 
 
  |    | 16  | 
 
  |    | 18  | 
 
  |  Total  | $  | 224  | 
 
  |    | $  | 52  | 
 
  |    | $  | 82  | 
 
  |  
     | 
Future estimated amortization expense  | As of October 28, 2012, future estimated amortization expense is expected to be as follows:    |   |  |  |  |     | Amortization Expense  |     | (In millions)  |  2013  | 214  | 
 
  |  2014  | 198  | 
 
  |  2015  | 184  | 
 
  |  2016  | 175  | 
 
  |  2017  | 171  | 
 
  |  Thereafter  | 271  | 
 
  |  Total  | $  | 1,213  | 
 
  |  
     |