Net Income Per Share/Unit - Calculation of Basic and Diluted Net Income Per Share/Unit (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Numerator—basic and diluted:
Net income attributable to Switch, Inc.—basic and diluted	$ 821	$ 14,953	$ 1,492	$ 35,281
Denominator—basic:
Weighted-average shares/units outstanding-basic (in shares)	42,358	200,644	39,197	200,247
Net income per share/unit-basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.02	$ 0.07	$ 0.04	$ 0.18
Denominator—diluted:
Weighted-average shares/units outstanding-basic (in shares)	42,358	200,644	39,197	200,247
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities:
Weighted average shares/units outstanding-diluted (in shares)	42,463	207,642	39,296	206,605
Net income per share/unit-diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.02	$ 0.07	$ 0.04	$ 0.17
Options
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities:
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	87	124	89	127
Incentive Units
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities:
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	0	6,874	0	6,231
RSUs
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities:
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	1	0	1	0
DEUs
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities:
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	5	0	3	0
RSAs
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities:
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	12	0	6	0

Earnings Per Share, Basic, Denominator [Abstract]

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The amount of net income (loss) for the period per each share of common stock or unit outstanding during the reporting period.

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The amount of net income (loss) for the period available to each share of common stock or common unit outstanding during the reporting period and to each share or unit that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of common shares or units for all dilutive potential common shares or units outstanding during the reporting period.

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Additional shares included in the calculation of diluted EPS as a result of the potentially dilutive effect of share based payment arrangements using the treasury stock method.

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The portion of profit or loss for the period, net of income taxes, which is attributable to the parent.

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The average number of shares or units issued and outstanding that are used in calculating diluted EPS or earnings per unit (EPU), determined based on the timing of issuance of shares or units in the period.

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Number of [basic] shares or units, after adjustment for contingently issuable shares or units and other shares or units not deemed outstanding, determined by relating the portion of time within a reporting period that common shares or units have been outstanding to the total time in that period.

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