Represents Number of stock option modified.

No definition available.

Name:	apdn_NumberOfStockOptionModified
Namespace Prefix:	apdn_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of cost to be recognized for option under share-based payment arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (i)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of noncash expense for share-based payment arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

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

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of shares authorized for issuance under share-based payment arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Gross number of share options (or share units) granted during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodGross
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The weighted average grant-date fair value of options granted during the reporting period as calculated by applying the disclosed option pricing methodology.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (d)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriodWeightedAverageGrantDateFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of shares issued under share-based payment arrangement.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardSharesIssuedInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of shares purchased for issuance under share-based payment arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5047-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardSharesPurchasedForAward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Weighted average remaining contractual term for fully vested and expected to vest options outstanding, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Includes, but is not limited to, unvested options for which requisite service period has not been rendered but that are expected to vest based on achievement of performance condition, if forfeitures are recognized when they occur.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (e)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120381028&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsVestedAndExpectedToVestOutstandingWeightedAverageRemainingContractualTerm1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=apdn_IncentiveStockPlan2020Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_TitleOfIndividualAxis=apdn_EmployeesConsultantsAndNonEmployeeBoardOfDirectorMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=apdn_IncentiveStockPlan2005Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

STOCK OPTIONS AND WARRANTS - Stock Options (Details)	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
STOCK OPTIONS AND WARRANTS - Stock Options (Details)	Jun. 30, 2020 USD ($) shares	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($) $ / shares shares	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($) Options $ / shares shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation \| $		$ 1,001,082	$ 1,129,110
Unrecorded compensation cost related to non-vested awards \| $		$ 540,594
Weighted average period of non-vested awards options		9 months 15 days
Weighted average grant date fair value for options granted \| $ / shares		$ 7.49	$ 11.51
Incentive Stock Plan 2020
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Issuance of common stock as stock awards and stock options	3,500,000
Incentive Stock Plan 2020 \| Employees, consultants and non-employee board of director members
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation \| $	$ 250,000
Stock options
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock-based compensation \| $			$ 221,046
Stock options \| Employees, consultants and non-employee board of director members
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of shares granted		155,395	86,349
Number of stock option modified \| Options			35,040
Stock options \| Incentive Stock Plan 2005 [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of shares granted		155,395
Stock options \| Incentive Stock Plan 2020
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Cumulative number of shares issued		6,894
Options to purchase shares under the 2005 Incentive stock plan		303,911