The Company and Basis of Presentation (Policies)	9 Months Ended
The Company and Basis of Presentation (Policies)	Oct. 01, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Fiscal period	QuickLogic's fiscal year ends on the Sunday closest to December 31 and the fiscal quarters each end on the Sunday closest to the end of each calendar quarter. QuickLogic's third fiscal quarters for 2017 and for 2016 ended on Sunday, October 1, 2017 and October 2, 2016, respectively.
Liquidity	Liquidity The Company has financed its operations and capital investments through sales of common stock, capital and operating leases, and bank lines of credit. As of October 1, 2017, the Company's principal sources of liquidity consisted of cash and cash equivalents of $19.0 million and $6.0 million in credit available at the Company's election under its revolving line of credit with Silicon Valley Bank, which expires on September 24, 2018. The Company has drawn down all of the $6.0 million in currently available credit under its revolving line of credit. On August 31, 2017, the Company entered into a Fourth Amendment to the Third Amended and Restated Loan and Security Agreement with Silicon Valley Bank to extend the line of credit for one year through September 24, 2018 and modify certain financial covenants. This amendment requires the Company to maintain (i) unrestricted cash or cash equivalents at the Silicon Valley Bank or at any of it's affiliates at all times in an amount of at least $6,000,000; and (ii) a ratio of quick assets to the results of (i) current liabilities minus (ii) the current portion of deferred revenue plus (iii) the long-term portion of the obligations of at least 1.40 to 1.00, tested as of the last day of each month. This line of credit provides for committed loan advances of up to $6.0 million, subject to increases at the Company's election of up to $12.0 million. The Company is in compliance with all loan covenants as of the end of the current reporting period. On March 28, 2017, the Company issued 11.3 million shares of common stock at a price of $1.50 per share, $0.001 par value. The Company received net proceeds of approximately $15.2 million, after deducting underwriting commissions and other offering-related expenses. The Company expects to use the net proceeds for working capital, to accelerate the development of next generation products and for general corporate purposes. The Company may also use a portion of the net proceeds to acquire and/or license technologies and acquire and/or invest in businesses when the opportunity arises; however, the Company currently has no commitments or agreements and are not involved in any negotiations with respect to any such transactions. The shares were offered pursuant to a shelf registration statement filed on December 9, 2016 with the SEC, as amended on March 15, 2017, which was declared effective by the SEC on March 16, 2017, and as supplemented by a prospectus supplement dated March 23, 2017, which were filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Company currently uses its cash to fund its capital expenditures and operations. Based on past operating performance and current annual operating plans, the Company believes that its existing cash and cash equivalents, together with available financial resources from the revolving line of credit with Silicon Valley Bank, will be sufficient to fund its operations and capital expenditures and provide adequate working capital for the next twelve months from the date the condensed unaudited consolidated financial statements as of and for the three and nine-month periods ended October 1, 2017 are available to be issued. The Company's liquidity is affected by many factors including, among others: the level of revenue and gross profit as a result of the cyclicality of the semiconductor industry; the conversion of design opportunities into revenue; market acceptance of existing and new products, including solutions based on its Sensor Processing solution platforms; fluctuations in revenue as a result of product end-of-life; fluctuations in revenue as a result of the stage in the product life cycle of its customers' products; costs of securing access to and availability of adequate manufacturing capacity; levels of inventories; wafer purchase commitments; customer credit terms; the amount and timing of research and development expenditures; the timing of new product introductions; production volumes; product quality; sales and marketing efforts; the value and liquidity of its investment portfolio; changes in operating assets and liabilities; the ability to obtain or renew debt financing and to remain in compliance with the terms of existing credit facilities; the ability to raise funds from the sale of equity in the Company; the issuance and exercise of stock options and participation in the Company's employee stock purchase plan; and other factors related to the uncertainties of the industry and global economics. Over the longer term, the Company anticipates that the generation of sales from its new product offerings, existing cash and cash equivalents, together with financial resources from its revolving line of credit with Silicon Valley Bank, and its ability to raise additional capital in the public capital markets will be sufficient to satisfy its operations and capital expenditures. However, the Company cannot provide any assurance that it will be able to raise additional capital, if required, or that such capital will be available on terms acceptable to the Company. The inability of the Company to generate sufficient sales from its new product offerings and/or raise additional capital if needed could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s operations and financial condition, including its ability to maintain compliance with its lender’s financial covenants.
Principles of Consolidation	Principles of Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of QuickLogic and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
Foreign Currency	Foreign Currency The functional currency of the Company's non-U.S. operations is the U.S. dollar. Accordingly, all monetary assets and liabilities of these foreign operations are translated into U.S. dollars at current period-end exchange rates and non-monetary assets and related elements of expense are translated using historical exchange rates. Income and expense elements are translated to U.S. dollars using the average exchange rates in effect during the period. Gains and losses from the foreign currency transactions of these subsidiaries are recorded as interest income and other expense, net in the condensed unaudited consolidated statements of operations.
Uses of Estimates	Uses of Estimates The preparation of these consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the period. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates, particularly in relation to revenue recognition, the allowance for doubtful accounts, sales returns, valuation of investments, valuation of long-lived assets including mask sets, valuation of inventories including identification of excess quantities, market value and obsolescence, measurement of stock-based compensation awards, accounting for income taxes and estimating accrued liabilities.
Concentration of Risk	Concentration of Risk The Company's accounts receivable are denominated in U.S. dollars and are derived primarily from sales to customers located in North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and generally does not require collateral. See Note 11 for information regarding concentrations associated with accounts receivable.
New Accounting Pronouncements	New Accounting Pronouncements Recently adopted accounting pronouncements: In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the measurement of Inventory, which amends the accounting guidance on the valuation of inventory. The guidance requires an entity to measure in scope inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. The amendment applies to inventory valued at first-in, first-out or average cost. This guidance is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted this guidance in the first quarter of 2017 prospectively with no material effect on the consolidated financial statements. Recently issued accounting pronouncements not yet adopted: In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which supersedes nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP. The core principle of ASU 2014-09 is to recognize revenues when promised goods or services are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which an entity expects to be entitled for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 defines a five-step process to achieve this core principle and, in doing so, more judgment and estimates may be required within the revenue recognition process than are required under existing GAAP. In applying this new guidance to contracts within its scope, an entity will: (1) identify the contract(s) with a customer, (2) identify the performance obligation in the contract, (3) determine the transaction price, (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and (5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. Additionally, this new guidance would require significantly expanded disclosures about revenue. The new standard allows for two transition methods - (i) a full retrospective method applied to each prior reporting period presented, or (ii) a modified retrospective method applied with the cumulative effect of adoption recognized on adoption. In July 2015, the FASB approved a one-year delay in the effective date by issuing ASU 2015-09, Revenue from Contracts with customers. ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. In March, April, May and December 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-08, ASU 2016-10, ASU 2016-12 and ASU 2016-20, respectively, which provide supplemental guidance and clarification to ASU 2014-09. The Company is required to adopt ASU 2014-09 on January 1, 2018, the first day of the Company's 2018 fiscal year. The Company currently anticipates adopting this guidance using the modified retrospective transition method. The Company is in the process of completing its assessment of the new standard’s effect on its consolidated financial statements. The Company currently believes that the timing of recognizing revenue under its contracts with customers for sales of semiconductor products will not change significantly, but the timing of revenue recognition for its IP licensing and related services will likely be impacted, after the adoption of ASU 2014-09. The Company expects to complete its evaluations of the impact of adoption of ASU 2014-09 on its financial statements as well as on its business processes, controls and systems by December 31, 2017. The Company currently does not expect this new standard to affect the Company materially. The new standard requires comprehensive disclosure of quantitative and qualitative information that enables users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The Company expects to expand its revenue disclosure upon adoption of the new standard to meet this requirement. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases. The new standard establishes a right-of-use ("ROU") model that requires a lessee to record a ROU asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. The new standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. A modified retrospective transition approach is required for lessees for capital and operating leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements, with certain practical expedients available. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of our pending adoption of the new standard on the consolidated financial statements. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. This update clarifies how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. This ASU is effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and for interim periods therein with early adoption permitted and must be applied retrospectively to all periods presented. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of our pending adoption of the new standard on the consolidated financial statements. In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity transfers of assets other than inventory. This update removes the requirement under which the income tax consequences of intra-entity transfers are deferred until the assets are ultimately sold to an outside party, except for transfers of inventory. The tax consequences of such transfers would be recognized in tax expense when the transfers occur. The standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on the consolidated financial statements. In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718). ASU No. 2017-09 provides clarification on when modification accounting should be used for changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award. This ASU does not change the accounting for modifications but clarifies that modification accounting guidance should only be applied if there is a change to the value, vesting conditions or award classification and would not be required if the changes are considered non-substantive. The amendments of this ASU are effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on the consolidated financial statements. Other new accounting pronouncements are disclosed on the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1, 2017 filed with the SEC on March 9, 2017.
Net Loss per Share	Basic loss per share is computed by dividing net loss available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net loss per share was computed using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period plus potentially dilutive common shares outstanding during the period under the treasury stock method. In computing diluted net loss per share, the weighted average stock price for the period is used in determining the number of shares assumed to be purchased from the exercise of stock options and warrants.
Revenue Recognition	The Company accounts for its IP license revenues and related services in accordance with Financial Accounting Standard Board or FASB Accounting Standards Codification or ASC No. 985-605, Software Revenue Recognition. Revenues are recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists and no further obligation exists, delivery has occurred, the license fee is fixed or determinable, and collection is reasonably assured. A license may be perpetual or time limited in its application. The Company’s IP license agreement contains multiple elements including post-contract customer support. For multiple element arrangements involving software and other software-related deliverables, vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value (“VSOE”) must exist to allocate the total fee among all delivered and non-essential undelivered elements of the arrangement. If undelivered elements of the arrangement are essential to the functionality of the product, revenue is deferred until the essential elements are delivered. If VSOE does not exist for one or more non-essential undelivered elements, revenue is deferred until such evidence exists for the undelivered elements, or until all elements are delivered, whichever is earlier. VSOE of each element is based on historical evidence of stand-alone sales of these elements to third parties including substantive renewal rate as stated in the agreement. When VSOE does not exist for undelivered items, the entire arrangement fee is recognized ratably over the performance period. As the IP license agreement entered into during the quarter ended April 2, 2017 is the first such revenue agreement, no VSOE exists for any of the elements. Accordingly, the Company is recognizing revenue associated with this contract ratably over the performance period.