Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Sep. 30, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of BIO-key International, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) and are stated in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The operating results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any other interim period or for the full year. Pursuant to such rules and regulations, certain financial information and footnote disclosures normally included in the financial statements have been condensed or omitted. Significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements contain all necessary adjustments, consisting only of those of a recurring nature, and disclosures to present fairly the Company’s financial position and the results of its operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The balance sheet at December 31, 2015 was derived from the audited financial statements, but does not include all of the disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and the related notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 (the “Form 10-K”), filed with the SEC on March 30, 2016.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements In May 2014, ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” was issued. The comprehensive new standard will supersede existing revenue recognition guidance and require revenue to be recognized when promised goods or services are transferred to customers in amounts that reflect the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The guidance will also require that certain contract costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract, such as sales commissions, be capitalized as an asset and amortized as revenue is recognized. Adoption of the new rules could affect the timing of both revenue recognition and the incurrence of contract costs for certain transactions. The guidance permits two implementation approaches, one requiring retrospective application of the new standard with restatement of prior years and one requiring prospective application of the new standard with disclosure of results under old standards. The new standard was scheduled to be effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and early adoption is not permitted. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of Effective Date" ("ASU 2015-14") which defers the effective date of ASU 2014-09 by one year. ASU 2014-09 is now effective for annual reporting periods after December 15, 2017 including interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Earlier application is permitted only as of annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adoption of ASU 2014-09 and the further updates codified in ASU 2016-12, ASU 2016-11 and ASU 2016-10 and the implementation approach to be used. In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, “Interest-Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs.” ASU 2015-03 requires debt issuance costs related to a debt liability measured at amortized cost to be reported in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the face amount of the debt liability. ASU 2015-03 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning January 1, 2016 with early adoption permitted, and is applied on a retrospective basis. The adoption of ASU 2015-03 did not materially impact the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, "Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory" ("ASU 2015-11"). The amendments in ASU 2015-11 clarifies the measurement of inventory to be the lower of cost or realizable value and would only apply to inventory valued using the FIFO or average costing methods. ASU 2015-11 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The reporting entity should apply the amendments prospectively with earlier application permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. Management is currently evaluating the effects of adopting ASU 2015-11 on the Company’s consolidated financial statements but the adoption is not expected to have a significant impact. In September 2015, FASB issued ASU 2015-16, “Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments” (“ASU 2015-16”). This standard requires an acquirer to recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. ASU 2015-16 also requires separate presentation on the face of the income statement, or disclosure in the notes, of the amount recorded in current-period earnings by line item that would have been recorded in previous reporting periods if the adjustment to the provisional amount had been recognized as of the acquisition date. ASU 2015-16 was effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2016 and did not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, "Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes" (“ASU 2015-17”). This update requires an entity to classify deferred tax liabilities and assets as noncurrent within a classified statement of financial position. ASU 2015-17 is effective for annual reporting periods, and interim periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2016. This update may be applied either prospectively to all deferred tax liabilities and assets or retrospectively to all periods presented. Early application is permitted as of the beginning of the interim or annual reporting period. Management is currently evaluating the effects of adopting ASU 2015-17 on the Company’s consolidated financial statements but the adoption is not expected to have a significant impact. In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, “Financial Instruments – Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities” (“ASU 2016-01”). The update addresses certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments, specifically equity investments and financial instruments measured at amortized cost. ASU 2016-01 is effective for public companies for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Management is currently assessing the impact ASU 2016-01 will have, if any, on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In March 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-09, “Compensation – Stock Compensation: Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting” (“ASU 2016-09”). ASU 2016-09 requires, among other things, that excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies be recognized as income tax expense or benefit in the income statement rather than as additional paid-in capital, changes the classification of excess tax benefits from a financing activity to an operating activity in the statement of cash flows, and allows forfeitures to be accounted for when they occur rather than estimated. ASU 2016-09 is effective for public companies for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Management is currently assessing the impact ASU 2016-09 will have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Management does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standard if currently adopted would have a material effect on the accompanying consolidated financial statements.
Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Reclassification Reclassifications occurred to certain prior year amounts in order to conform to the current year classifications. The reclassifications have no effect on the reported net loss.