Net Income Per Share - Calculation of Basic and Diluted Net Income Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Numerator—basic:
Net income attributable to Switch, Inc.—basic	$ 15,539	$ 8,917	$ 4,052
Numerator—diluted:
Net income attributable to Switch, Inc.—basic	15,539	8,917	4,052
Effect of dilutive securities:
Shares of Class B and Class C common stock (in shares)	17,651	17,339	0
Net income attributable to Switch, Inc.—diluted	$ 33,190	$ 26,256	$ 4,052
Denominator—basic:
Weighted average shares outstanding—basic (in shares)	105,822	76,501	45,682
Basic net income per share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.15	$ 0.12	$ 0.09
Denominator—diluted:
Weighted average shares outstanding—basic (in shares)	105,822	76,501	45,682
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities:
Weighted average effect of dilutive shares of Class B and Class C common stock (in shares)	135,012	168,252	0
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	243,501	246,329	45,753
Net income per share - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.14	$ 0.11	$ 0.09
Stock options
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities:
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	1,391	712	50
RSUs
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities:
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	1,200	805	6
DEUs
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities:
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	39	24	8
RSAs
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities:
Weighted average effect of dilutive securities (in shares)	37	35	7