EARNINGS PER SHARE (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended				24 Months Ended
	Nov. 27, 2019	Oct. 31, 2019	Jul. 28, 2019	Apr. 28, 2019	Jan. 27, 2019	Oct. 31, 2018	Jul. 29, 2018	Apr. 29, 2018	[1]	Jan. 28, 2018	Oct. 31, 2019	Oct. 31, 2018		Oct. 29, 2017	Oct. 31, 2019
Calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share [Abstract]
Net income attributable to Photronics, Inc. shareholders		$ 9,700	$ 6,347	$ 8,479	$ 5,267	$ 12,487	$ 13,005	$ 10,665		$ 5,898	$ 29,793	$ 42,055	[1]	$ 13,130
Effect of dilutive securities [Abstract]
Interest expense on convertible notes, net of tax											845	1,999		0
Earnings used for diluted earnings per share											$ 30,638	$ 44,054		$ 13,130
Weighted-average common shares computations [Abstract]
Weighted-average common shares used for basic earnings per share (in shares)											66,347	68,829		68,436
Effect of dilutive securities [Abstract]
Convertible notes (in shares)											2,360	5,542		0
Share-based payment awards (in shares)											448	450		852
Potentially dilutive common shares (in shares)											2,808	5,992		852
Weighted-average common shares used for diluted earnings per share (in shares)											69,155	74,821		69,288
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.15	$ 0.10	$ 0.13	$ 0.08	$ 0.18	$ 0.19	$ 0.15		$ 0.09	$ 0.45	$ 0.61	[1]	$ 0.19
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.15	$ 0.10	$ 0.13	$ 0.08	$ 0.18	$ 0.18	$ 0.15		$ 0.09	$ 0.44	$ 0.59	[1]	$ 0.19
Antidilutive Securities [Abstract]
Total potentially dilutive shares excluded (in shares)											1,250	1,627		6,850
Repurchased common stock (in shares)											2,133	2,558			4,691
Subsequent Event [Member]
Antidilutive Securities [Abstract]
Repurchased common stock (in shares)	900
Share based Payment Awards [Member]
Antidilutive Securities [Abstract]
Total potentially dilutive shares excluded (in shares)											1,250	1,627		1,308
Convertible Notes [Member]
Antidilutive Securities [Abstract]
Total potentially dilutive shares excluded (in shares)											0	0		5,542

[1] Includes $0.6 million gain on sale of assets.