Consolidated Statements Of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 28, 2018	Sep. 29, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Revenue:
Licensing	$ 1,057,606	$ 965,792	$ 917,032
Products	94,552	95,290	90,543
Services	19,766	20,372	18,163
Total revenue	1,171,924	1,081,454	1,025,738
Cost of revenue:
Cost of licensing	43,492	39,216	28,333
Cost of products	65,292	61,256	64,853
Cost of services	19,476	17,835	15,796
Total cost of revenue	128,260	118,307	108,982
Gross margin	1,043,664	963,147	916,756
Operating expenses:
Research and development	236,794	233,312	219,607
Sales and marketing	309,802	296,661	295,267
General and administrative	197,516	171,686	168,854
Restructuring charges	446	(12,856)	(1,233)
Total operating expenses	743,666	714,515	684,961
Operating income	299,998	248,632	231,795
Other income/expense:
Interest income	18,970	9,577	5,684
Interest expense	(198)	(127)	(125)
Other income/(expense), net	(5,903)	(1,438)	(1,450)
Total other income	12,869	8,012	4,109
Income before income taxes	312,867	256,644	235,904
Provision for income taxes	(190,062)	(54,217)	(49,502)
Net income including controlling interest	122,805	202,427	186,402
Less: net (income) attributable to controlling interest	(559)	(625)	(542)
Net income attributable to Dolby Laboratories, Inc.	$ 122,246	$ 201,802	$ 185,860
Net Income Per Share:
Basic (usd per share)	$ 1.18	$ 1.98	$ 1.85
Diluted (usd per share)	$ 1.14	$ 1.95	$ 1.81
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted [Abstract]
Basic (shares)	103,377	101,784	100,717
Diluted (shares)	106,978	103,286	102,424
Related party rent expense:
Included in operating expenses	$ 3,483	$ 3,142	$ 3,097
Included in net income attributable to controlling interest	$ 712	$ 702	$ 706
Cash dividend declared per common share	$ 0.67	$ 0.58	$ 0.50
Cash dividend paid per common share	$ 0.64	$ 0.56	$ 0.48