Consolidated Statements Of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 25, 2015	Sep. 26, 2014
Revenue:
Licensing	$ 917,032	$ 868,111	$ 878,844
Products	90,543	83,904	59,219
Services	18,163	18,623	22,113
Total revenue	1,025,738	970,638	960,176
Cost of revenue:
Cost of licensing	28,333	10,879	10,814
Cost of products	64,853	70,490	45,132
Cost of services	15,796	13,447	14,230
Total cost of revenue	108,982	94,816	70,176
Gross margin	916,756	875,822	890,000
Operating expenses:
Research and development	219,607	201,324	183,128
Sales and marketing	295,267	279,174	252,647
General and administrative	168,854	182,176	178,104
Restructuring charges	1,233	(80)	2,403
Total operating expenses	684,961	662,594	616,282
Operating income	231,795	213,228	273,718
Other income/expense:
Interest income	5,684	4,544	3,344
Interest expense	(125)	(183)	183
Other income/(expense), net	(1,450)	28,193	(1,146)
Total other income	4,109	32,554	2,381
Income before income taxes	235,904	245,782	276,099
Provision for income taxes	(49,502)	(62,542)	(67,379)
Net income including controlling interest	186,402	183,240	208,720
Less: net (income) attributable to controlling interest	(542)	(1,850)	(2,617)
Net income attributable to Dolby Laboratories, Inc.	$ 185,860	$ 181,390	$ 206,103
Net Income Per Share:
Basic (usd per share)	$ 1.85	$ 1.77	$ 2.02
Diluted (usd per share)	$ 1.81	$ 1.75	$ 1.99
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted [Abstract]
Basic (shares)	100,717	102,354	102,151
Diluted (shares)	102,424	103,862	103,632
Related party rent expense:
Included in operating expenses	$ 3,097	$ 3,136	$ 2,125
Included in net income attributable to controlling interest	$ 706	$ 4,091	$ 4,827
Cash dividend declared per common share	$ 0.50	$ 0.42	$ 0.00
Cash dividend paid per common share	$ 0.48	$ 0.40	$ 0.00