EARNINGS PER SHARE (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	2 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 17, 2020	Oct. 31, 2020	Aug. 02, 2020	May 03, 2020	Feb. 02, 2020	Oct. 31, 2019	Jul. 28, 2019	Apr. 28, 2019	Jan. 27, 2019	Oct. 31, 2020	Oct. 31, 2019	Oct. 31, 2018
Calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share [Abstract]
Net income attributable to Photronics, Inc. shareholders		$ 6,460	$ 10,776	$ 6,284	$ 10,300	$ 9,700	$ 6,347	$ 8,479	$ 5,267	$ 33,820	$ 29,793	$ 42,055
Effect of dilutive securities [Abstract]
Interest expense on convertible notes, net of tax										0	845	1,999
Earnings used for diluted earnings per share										$ 33,820	$ 30,638	$ 44,054
Weighted-average common shares computations [Abstract]
Weighted-average common shares used for basic earnings per share (in shares)										64,866	66,347	68,829
Effect of dilutive securities [Abstract]
Share-based payment awards (in shares)										604	448	450
Convertible notes (in shares)										0	2,360	5,542
Potentially dilutive common shares (in shares)										604	2,808	5,992
Weighted-average common shares used for diluted earnings per share (in shares)										65,470	69,155	74,821
Basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.10	$ 0.17	$ 0.10	$ 0.16	$ 0.15	$ 0.10	$ 0.13	$ 0.08	$ 0.52	$ 0.45	$ 0.61
Diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)		$ 0.10	$ 0.17	$ 0.10	$ 0.16	$ 0.15	$ 0.10	$ 0.13	$ 0.08	$ 0.52	$ 0.44	$ 0.59
Antidilutive Securities [Abstract]
Total potentially dilutive shares excluded (in shares)										795	1,250	1,627
Subsequent Event [Member]
Antidilutive Securities [Abstract]
Repurchased common stock (in shares)	100
Share-based Payment Awards [Member]
Antidilutive Securities [Abstract]
Total potentially dilutive shares excluded (in shares)										795	1,250	1,627