Label	Element	Value
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	$ 6,399,000
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Employee Stock Purchase Plan	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeStockPurchasePlan	56,000
APIC, Share-based Payment Arrangement, Increase for Cost Recognition	us-gaap_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue	66,182,000
Cancellation of Restricted Stock and Repurchase of Common Stock at Cost for Employee Tax Withholding, Value	nuan_CancellationOfRestrictedStockAndRepurchaseOfCommonStockAtCostForEmployeeTaxWithholdingValue	33,129,000
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue	92,444,000
AOCI Attributable to Parent [Member]
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	(132,773,000)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	(114,043,000)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	(117,918,000)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	6,399,000
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Employee Stock Purchase Plan	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeStockPurchasePlan	0
APIC, Share-based Payment Arrangement, Increase for Cost Recognition	us-gaap_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue	0
Cancellation of Restricted Stock and Repurchase of Common Stock at Cost for Employee Tax Withholding, Value	nuan_CancellationOfRestrictedStockAndRepurchaseOfCommonStockAtCostForEmployeeTaxWithholdingValue	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	0
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue	0
Retained Earnings [Member]
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	(244,927,000)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	(272,216,000)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	(293,612,000)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Employee Stock Purchase Plan	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeStockPurchasePlan	0
APIC, Share-based Payment Arrangement, Increase for Cost Recognition	us-gaap_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue	0
Cancellation of Restricted Stock and Repurchase of Common Stock at Cost for Employee Tax Withholding, Value	nuan_CancellationOfRestrictedStockAndRepurchaseOfCommonStockAtCostForEmployeeTaxWithholdingValue	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	48,685,000
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue	0
Common Stock [Member]
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	287,000
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	290,000
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	288,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Employee Stock Purchase Plan	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeStockPurchasePlan	6,000
APIC, Share-based Payment Arrangement, Increase for Cost Recognition	us-gaap_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue	0
Cancellation of Restricted Stock and Repurchase of Common Stock at Cost for Employee Tax Withholding, Value	nuan_CancellationOfRestrictedStockAndRepurchaseOfCommonStockAtCostForEmployeeTaxWithholdingValue	2,000
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	$ 0
Shares, Issued	us-gaap_SharesIssued	287,626,000
Shares, Issued	us-gaap_SharesIssued	286,703,000
Shares, Issued	us-gaap_SharesIssued	289,680,000
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue	$ 6,000
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Employee Stock Purchase Plans	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesEmployeeStockPurchasePlans	5,582,000
Cancellation of Restricted Stock and Repurchase of Common Stock at Cost for Employee Tax Withholding, Shares	nuan_CancellationOfRestrictedStockAndRepurchaseOfCommonStockAtCostForEmployeeTaxWithholdingShares	1,942,000
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Shares	us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodShares	5,694,000
Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	$ 2,597,889,000
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	1,615,989,000
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	1,550,568,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Employee Stock Purchase Plan	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeStockPurchasePlan	(50,000)
APIC, Share-based Payment Arrangement, Increase for Cost Recognition	us-gaap_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue	66,182,000
Cancellation of Restricted Stock and Repurchase of Common Stock at Cost for Employee Tax Withholding, Value	nuan_CancellationOfRestrictedStockAndRepurchaseOfCommonStockAtCostForEmployeeTaxWithholdingValue	33,127,000
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	0
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue	92,438,000
Treasury Stock [Member]
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	(16,788,000)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	(16,788,000)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	(16,788,000)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Portion Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTaxPortionAttributableToParent	0
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Employee Stock Purchase Plan	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueEmployeeStockPurchasePlan	0
APIC, Share-based Payment Arrangement, Increase for Cost Recognition	us-gaap_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalSharebasedCompensationRequisiteServicePeriodRecognitionValue	0
Cancellation of Restricted Stock and Repurchase of Common Stock at Cost for Employee Tax Withholding, Value	nuan_CancellationOfRestrictedStockAndRepurchaseOfCommonStockAtCostForEmployeeTaxWithholdingValue	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	$ 0
Shares, Issued	us-gaap_SharesIssued	(3,751,000)
Shares, Issued	us-gaap_SharesIssued	(3,751,000)
Shares, Issued	us-gaap_SharesIssued	(3,751,000)
Stock Repurchased and Retired During Period, Value	us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValue	$ 0