Goodwill and Intangibles Assets - Carrying Amount of Intangible Assets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Finite-lived Intangible Assets [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance		$ 4,943
Amortization expense		(248)	$ (248)
Intangible assets acquired in asset acquisition	$ 100	22
Foreign currency translation adjustment		(285)
Ending balance		$ 4,432

Amortization expense

No definition available.

Name:	kvhi_Amortizationexpense
Namespace Prefix:	kvhi_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of foreign currency translation gain (loss) which increases (decreases) assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsForeignCurrencyTranslationGainLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of increase in assets, excluding financial assets, lacking physical substance with a definite life, from an acquisition.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16265-109275

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinitelivedIntangibleAssetsAcquired1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount before accumulated amortization of intangible assets, excluding goodwill.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsGrossExcludingGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant