Acquisitions and Disposals (Details) - USD ($)		11 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 18, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 01, 2016
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Initial cash consideration	$ 1,000,000.0
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability	11,600,000
Business Combination, Step Acquisition, Equity Interest in Acquiree, Remeasurement Gain	2,700,000
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Settlement of Debt and Warrants	6,408,000
Net cash consideration	21,708,000
Goodwill		$ 16,908,000	$ 17,375,000	$ 16,908,000		$ 16,955,000
Business Combination, Acquisition of Less than 100 Percent, Noncontrolling Interest, Fair Value	$ 600,000
Goodwill, Purchase Accounting Adjustments		3,000,000.0
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life				8 years
Gain on equity and other investments, net			111,000	$ 12,338,000
Business Acquisition, Transaction Costs			1,500,000
Total equity interest in acquiree	84.00%
Percentage of shares acquired	42.00%
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets, Current		28,376,000	0	28,376,000
Current liabilities of discontinued operations		72,641,000	0	72,641,000
Net loss from discontinued operations, net of tax			(206,000)	(6,030,000)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest of discontinued operations			(184,000)	(1,094,000)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to RealNetworks			(22,000)	(4,936,000)
Cash received			22,849,000
Disposal Group, Net Assets Disposed					$ (20,935,000)
Gain on sale of business			1,914,000
Rhapsody America LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Loan commitment to Rhapsody							$ 5,000,000.0
Napster Disposal
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Sale price			26,000,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Consideration, Cash			12,000,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Indemnity Escrow			3,000,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Cash and Cash Equivalents		8,333,000		8,333,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Accounts, Notes and Loans Receivable, Net		16,740,000		16,740,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Assets, Current		3,303,000		3,303,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets, Current		28,376,000		28,376,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Property, Plant and Equipment, Noncurrent		401,000		401,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Intangible Assets, Noncurrent		19,286,000		19,286,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Goodwill, Noncurrent		45,520,000		45,520,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Assets, Noncurrent		2,604,000		2,604,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets		96,187,000		96,187,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Accrued Liabilities, Current		65,310,000		65,310,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Liabilities, Notes Payable, Current		7,331,000		7,331,000
Current liabilities of discontinued operations		72,641,000		72,641,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Liabilities, Noncurrent		1,843,000		1,843,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Liabilities		$ 74,484,000		74,484,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Revenue			96,185,000	106,311,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Costs of Goods Sold			73,318,000	85,901,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Gross Profit (Loss)			22,867,000	20,410,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Operating Expense			24,734,000	25,789,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Operating Income (Loss)			(1,867,000)	(5,379,000)
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Income (Expense			2,175,000	(285,000)
Discontinued Operation, Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operation, before Income Tax			308,000	(5,664,000)
Discontinued Operation, Tax Effect of Discontinued Operation			514,000	366,000
Net loss from discontinued operations, net of tax			(206,000)	(6,030,000)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest of discontinued operations			(184,000)	(1,094,000)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to RealNetworks			$ (22,000)	$ (4,936,000)
Napster
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest percentage			16.00%
Line of Credit
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted, Gain (loss) on Elimination	$ 2,800,000
Rhapsody America LLC
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Contingent Consideration, Liability	11,600,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Cash and Equivalents	10,127,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets, Receivables	20,915,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Assets, Prepaid Expense and Other Assets	2,421,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Restricted Cash	2,322,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Property, Plant, and Equipment	474,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Operating Lease Assets	2,400,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Assets, Other	77,000
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Assets	5,932,000
Intangible assets acquired	23,700,000
Goodwill	45,520,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Assets	113,888,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Current Liabilities, Accounts Payable	786,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Accrued Royalties and Fulfillment	59,036,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Accrued and Other Liabilities, Current	7,032,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Contract with Customer, Liability, Current	3,526,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Notes Payable	12,211,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities	6,208,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Asset Acquired and Liability Assumed, Lease Obligation	1,190,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Noncurrent Liabilities, Other	1,621,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Liabilities	91,610,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Net	22,278,000
Business Combination, Acquisition of Less than 100 Percent, Noncontrolling Interest, Fair Value	570,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Less Noncontrolling Interest	21,708,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles	23,700,000
Rhapsody America LLC | Other Operating Income (Expense) [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Consideration Transferred, Gain (Loss) on Settlement of Debt and Warrants	5,500,000
Business Acquisition, Release of Preexisting Foreign Currency, Adjustments	1,300,000
Rhapsody America LLC | Trademarks and Trade Names
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles	6,800,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life				15 years
Rhapsody America LLC | Developed Technology Rights
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles	5,900,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life				4 years
Rhapsody America LLC | Customer Relationships [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles	5,900,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life				3 years
Rhapsody America LLC | Partner Relationships
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Finite-Lived Intangibles	$ 5,100,000
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Useful Life				8 years