Guarantor and Non-Guarantor Supplemental Financial Information - Statements of Operations and Comprehensive (Loss) Income (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	$ 281,053	$ 254,967	$ 557,302	$ 501,564
Costs and expenses	331,882	335,200	636,109	653,428
(Loss) income from operations	(50,829)	(80,233)	(78,807)	(151,864)
Loss from subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Other expense (income), net	65,619	65,058	127,098	78,577
(Loss) income before income tax expenses	(116,448)	(145,291)	(205,905)	(230,441)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(552)	(906)	(853)	(1,339)
Net (loss) income	(115,896)	(144,385)	(205,052)	(229,102)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax effects:
Net (loss) income	(115,896)	(144,385)	(205,052)	(229,102)
Other comprehensive loss from subsidiaries	0	0
Other comprehensive income from subsidiaries			0	0
Foreign currency translation adjustment	504	(417)	1,074	(1,076)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	504	(417)	1,074	(1,076)
Comprehensive (loss) income	(115,392)	(144,802)	(203,978)	(230,178)
Eliminations
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	(592)	(646)	(794)	(1,302)
Costs and expenses	(592)	(646)	(794)	(1,302)
(Loss) income from operations	0	0	0	0
Loss from subsidiaries	165,850	229,308	280,987	340,345
Other expense (income), net	0	0	0	0
(Loss) income before income tax expenses	165,850	229,308	280,987	340,345
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income	165,850	229,308	280,987	340,345
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax effects:
Net (loss) income	165,850	229,308	280,987	340,345
Other comprehensive loss from subsidiaries	(1,008)	834
Other comprehensive income from subsidiaries			(2,148)	2,152
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	0	0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	(1,008)	834	(2,148)	0
Comprehensive (loss) income	164,842	230,142	278,839	340,345
Parent | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	0	0	0	0
Costs and expenses	0	0	0	0
(Loss) income from operations	0	0	0	0
Loss from subsidiaries	(115,896)	(144,385)	(205,052)	(229,102)
Other expense (income), net	0	0	0	0
(Loss) income before income tax expenses	(115,896)	(144,385)	(205,052)	(229,102)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income	(115,896)	(144,385)	(205,052)	(229,102)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax effects:
Net (loss) income	(115,896)	(144,385)	(205,052)	(229,102)
Other comprehensive loss from subsidiaries	504	(417)
Other comprehensive income from subsidiaries			1,074	(1,076)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	0	0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	504	(417)	1,074	0
Comprehensive (loss) income	(115,392)	(144,802)	(203,978)	(229,102)
Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	268,055	244,000	531,594	477,788
Costs and expenses	319,266	321,835	610,775	627,056
(Loss) income from operations	(51,211)	(77,835)	(79,181)	(149,268)
Loss from subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Other expense (income), net	807	4,006	755	(42,964)
(Loss) income before income tax expenses	(52,018)	(81,841)	(79,936)	(106,304)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(288)	(70)	(106)	102
Net (loss) income	(51,730)	(81,771)	(79,830)	(106,406)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax effects:
Net (loss) income	(51,730)	(81,771)	(79,830)	(106,406)
Other comprehensive loss from subsidiaries	0	0
Other comprehensive income from subsidiaries			0	0
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	0	0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive (loss) income	(51,730)	(81,771)	(79,830)	(106,406)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	13,590	11,613	26,502	25,078
Costs and expenses	13,208	14,011	26,128	27,674
(Loss) income from operations	382	(2,398)	374	(2,596)
Loss from subsidiaries	0	0	0	0
Other expense (income), net	(1,130)	1,590	(2,774)	3,682
(Loss) income before income tax expenses	1,512	(3,988)	3,148	(6,278)
Income tax expense (benefit)	(264)	(836)	(747)	(1,441)
Net (loss) income	1,776	(3,152)	3,895	(4,837)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax effects:
Net (loss) income	1,776	(3,152)	3,895	(4,837)
Other comprehensive loss from subsidiaries	0	0
Other comprehensive income from subsidiaries			0	0
Foreign currency translation adjustment	504	(417)	1,074	(1,076)
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	504	(417)	1,074	(1,076)
Comprehensive (loss) income	2,280	(3,569)	4,969	(5,913)
APX Group, Inc. | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Revenue from external customers	0	0	0	0
Costs and expenses	0	0	0	0
(Loss) income from operations	0	0	0	0
Loss from subsidiaries	(49,954)	(84,923)	(75,935)	(111,243)
Other expense (income), net	65,942	59,462	129,117	117,859
(Loss) income before income tax expenses	(115,896)	(144,385)	(205,052)	(229,102)
Income tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Net (loss) income	(115,896)	(144,385)	(205,052)	(229,102)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax effects:
Net (loss) income	(115,896)	(144,385)	(205,052)	(229,102)
Other comprehensive loss from subsidiaries	504	(417)
Other comprehensive income from subsidiaries			1,074	(1,076)
Foreign currency translation adjustment	0	0	0	0
Total other comprehensive income (loss)	504	(417)	1,074	0
Comprehensive (loss) income	$ (115,392)	$ (144,802)	$ (203,978)	$ (229,102)