It represents the value of accumulated legal and special reserve.

No definition available.

Name:	himx_AccumulatedLegalAndSpecialReserve
Namespace Prefix:	himx_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

It represents the average repurchased exercise price of american depository shares.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	himx_AverageRepurchasedPricePerAmericanDepositaryShare
Namespace Prefix:	himx_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage of annual net income set aside as a legal reserve.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	himx_PercentageOfAnnualNetIncomeSetAsideAsLegalReserve
Namespace Prefix:	himx_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The parent entity's interest in net assets of the subsidiary, expressed as a percentage.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestOwnershipPercentageByParent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfCapitalizationEquityLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of stock repurchase plan authorized.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The remaining number of shares authorized to be repurchased by an entity's Board of Directors under a stock repurchase plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingNumberOfSharesAuthorizedToBeRepurchased
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of shares that have been repurchased during the period and have not been retired and are not held in treasury. Some state laws may govern the circumstances under which an entity may acquire its own stock and prescribe the accounting treatment therefore. This element is used when state law does not recognize treasury stock.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 04
-Article 3

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 29, 30
-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Equity impact of the value of stock that has been repurchased during the period and has not been retired and is not held in treasury. Some state laws may mandate the circumstances under which an entity may acquire its own stock and prescribe the accounting treatment therefore. This element is used when state law does not recognize treasury stock.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 02
-Paragraph 29, 30, 31
-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 04
-Article 3

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis=himx_AmericanDepositarySharesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Equity (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Jun. 20, 2011
Schedule of Capitalization, Equity [Line Items]
Himax Taiwan, Ownership Percentage by Parent	100.00%
Accumulated Legal and Special Reserve	$ 66,354	$ 58,959
Percentage of annual net income set aside as legal reserve	10.00%
American Depositary Shares [Member]
Schedule of Capitalization, Equity [Line Items]
American Depositary Shares Authorized Repurchased Value Maximum			$ 25,000
American Depositary Shares Repurchased Shares	9,488,656
American Depositary Shares Repurchased Value	$ 13,400
Average Repurchased Price Per American Depositary Share	$ 1.41
American Depositary Shares Held By Parent	6,442,029