Consolidated Statements Of Operations - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 27, 2019	Sep. 28, 2018	Sep. 29, 2017
Revenue:
Revenue	$ 1,241,620	$ 1,054,600
Total revenue	1,241,620	1,054,600	$ 1,080,177
Cost of revenue:
Total cost of revenue	160,854	127,562	118,529
Gross margin	1,080,766	927,038	961,648
Operating expenses:
Research and development	237,871	236,794	233,312
Sales and marketing	343,835	309,762	296,661
General and administrative	205,425	197,423	171,686
Restructuring charges	(36,558)	446	(12,856)
Total operating expenses	823,689	743,533	714,515
Operating income	257,077	183,505	247,133
Other income/expense:
Interest income	24,919	18,970	9,577
Interest expense	(170)	(198)	(127)
Other income/(expense), net	481	(5,903)	(1,438)
Total other income	25,230	12,869	8,012
Income before income taxes	282,307	196,374	255,145
Provision for income taxes	(26,802)	(154,069)	(48,039)
Net income including controlling interest	255,505	42,305	207,106
Less: net (income) attributable to controlling interest	(354)	(559)	(625)
Net income attributable to Dolby Laboratories, Inc.	$ 255,151	$ 41,746	$ 206,481
Net Income Per Share:
Basic (usd per share)	$ 2.51	$ 0.40	$ 2.03
Diluted (usd per share)	$ 2.44	$ 0.39	$ 2.00
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding, Diluted [Abstract]
Basic (shares)	101,629	103,377	101,784
Diluted (shares)	104,572	106,978	103,286
Related party rent expense:
Included in operating expenses	$ 16,360	$ 3,483	$ 3,142
Included in net income attributable to controlling interest	$ 572	$ 712	$ 702
Cash dividend declared per common share	$ 0.79	$ 0.67	$ 0.58
Cash dividend paid per common share	$ 0.76	$ 0.64	$ 0.56
Licensing
Revenue:
Revenue	$ 1,107,280	$ 940,777	$ 965,864
Cost of revenue:
Cost of revenue	57,531	42,583	39,329
Products and services
Revenue:
Revenue	134,340	113,823	114,313
Cost of revenue:
Cost of revenue	$ 103,323	$ 84,979	$ 79,200