Stockholders' Deficit - Additional Information (Details) - USD ($)									3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		37 Months Ended
	Mar. 21, 2023	Nov. 29, 2022	Apr. 30, 2020	Mar. 18, 2020	Sep. 18, 2019	Nov. 09, 2018	May 14, 2018	Sep. 19, 2017	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2023	Jan. 01, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Feb. 18, 2022	Jan. 01, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Common stock, par value									$ 0.0001		$ 0.0001		$ 0.0001		$ 0.0001
Number of share outstanding									3,055,256	2,850,787	3,055,256	2,850,787	3,055,256		2,794,850			1,954,975
Awards granted under the plan											630,000	958,000
Unrecognized compensation expense									$ 2,200,000		$ 2,200,000		$ 2,200,000
Unrecognized compensation expense remaining vesting period											2 years 8 months 12 days
Weighted average grant date fair value of options granted											$ 1.43
Fair value of options vested									$ 200,000	$ 400,000	$ 1,000,000.0	$ 1,500,000
Securities Purchase Agreement
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs, shares	2,335,000
Common stock, par value	$ 0.0001
Proceeds from issuance of common stock gross	$ 2,700,000
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs	$ 2,300,000
Combined purchase price for one Share and one Common Warrant	$ 0.916
Combined purchase price for one Pre-Funded Warrant and one Common Warrant	$ 0.915
Securities Purchase Agreement \| Placement Agent
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Percentage of aggregate gross proceeds of offering equal to cash fee	7.50%
Non-accountable expense allowance	$ 70,000
Clearing fees	$ 16,000
Period of right of first refusal	6 months
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs)
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Awards granted under the plan									0	0	0	0
2018 Stock Incentive Plan
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Number of common stock authorized for issuance														784,971			572,410
Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, description											In addition, the number of shares authorized for issuance under the 2018 Plan is automatically increased (the “evergreen provision”) on the first day of each fiscal year beginning on January 1, 2019, and ending on (and including) January 1, 2028, in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) 4% of the outstanding shares of common stock on the last day of the immediately preceding fiscal year, or (ii) another amount (including zero) determined by the Company’s Board of Directors. On January 1, 2023 and 2022, 784,971 and 572,410 additional shares, respectively, were authorized according to the evergreen provision. On February 18, 2022, the Company’s Board of Directors amended and restated the 2018 Plan to add a provision permitting the grant of inducement awards under Nasdaq Marketplace Rule 5635(c)(4) to eligible recipients and initially reserved 200,000 shares of the Company’s common stock for issuance pursuant to inducement awards granted under the 2018 Plan. Any shares subject to awards granted under the 2018 Plan that are forfeited or terminated before being exercised or settled, or are not delivered to the participant because such award is settled in cash, will again become available for issuance under the 2018 Plan. Shares withheld to satisfy the grant, exercise price or tax withholding obligation related to an award will again become available for issuance under the 2018 Plan.
Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, expiration date											Jan. 01, 2028
Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, percentage of outstanding our common stock											4.00%
Grant of inducement awards and reserved, shares																200,000
Options contractual term							10 years
Available for the grant of future awards									913,878		913,878		913,878
2018 Stock Incentive Plan \| Executive Officers and Employees
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, stock options vesting period							4 years
2018 Stock Incentive Plan \| Executive Officers and Employees \| One-year Anniversary of the Grant Date
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, Vesting percentage							25.00%
2018 Stock Incentive Plan \| Executive Officers and Employees \| One-year Anniversary of the Grant Date \| Unvested Restricted Stock Units
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Unvested restricted stock units									0	0	0	0	0
2018 Stock Incentive Plan \| Executive Officers and Employees \| Quarterly over Remaining Three Years
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, Vesting percentage							75.00%
2018 Stock Incentive Plan \| Executive Officers and Employees \| January 1, 2021
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, Vesting percentage					50.00%
2018 Stock Incentive Plan \| Executive Officers and Employees \| January 1, 2022
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, Vesting percentage					50.00%
2018 Stock Incentive Plan \| Board of Directors
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award, stock options vesting period							12 months
2013 Stock Incentive Plan
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Options contractual term								10 years
Awards granted under the plan											0
2010 Stock Incentive Plan
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Options contractual term								10 years
Awards granted under the plan											0
Lincoln Park
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs, shares										300,000		300,000
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs										$ 400,000		$ 400,000
Number of shares, company may sell on any single business day			50,000
Maximum amount of Common stock at time of sale, per regular purchase			$ 1,000,000.0
Maximum percentage of shares may be issued or sold based on outstanding shares immediately prior to execution of agreement			19.99%
Issuance of common stock for commitment fee, shares			148,148
Fair value of the commitment fee shares, recorded to general and administrative expense along with other costs incurred			$ 0.4
Weighted Average \| Lincoln Park
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Issuance of common stock, gross sale price per share										$ 1.25		$ 1.25
Maximum
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Public float									$ 75,000,000		$ 75,000,000		$ 75,000,000
Maximum \| 2010 and 2013 Stock Incentive Plan
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Number of share outstanding							635,170
Maximum \| Lincoln Park
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Shares value might be issued under agreement			$ 15,000,000.0								$ 15,000,000.0
Number of shares, company may sell on any single business day			100,000
Beneficially ownership percentage			9.99%
Minimum \| Lincoln Park
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Threshold price per share for issuance of shares under agreement			$ 2.1668
Pre-Funded Warrants \| Securities Purchase Agreement
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Warrant issued to purchase common stock	585,306
Warrant, exercise price	$ 0.001
Outstanding common stock beneficially owning percentage	9.99%
Pre-Funded Warrants \| Maximum \| Securities Purchase Agreement
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Outstanding common stock beneficially owning percentage	4.99%
Common Warrants [Member] \| Securities Purchase Agreement
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Warrant issued to purchase common stock	2,920,306
Warrant, exercise price	$ 0.791
Warrants term	5 years 6 months
At-the-Market Facility
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs, shares									456,886	1,062,547	1,919,140	1,062,547
Proceeds from issuance of common stock gross									$ 400,000	$ 3,300,000	$ 4,500,000	$ 3,300,000	21,000,000.0
Common stock offering costs									14,000	200,000	200,000	200,000
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs									300,000	$ 3,100,000	4,300,000	$ 3,100,000
Amount remained available under facility									$ 29,000,000.0		$ 29,000,000.0		$ 29,000,000.0
At-the-Market Facility \| Securities Purchase Agreement
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs, shares									456,886
Proceeds from issuance of common stock gross									$ 400,000
Common stock offering costs									14,000
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs									$ 300,000
At-the-Market Facility \| Weighted Average
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Issuance of common stock, gross sale price per share									$ 0.7912	$ 3.0719	$ 2.3290	$ 3.0719
At-the-Market Facility \| Weighted Average \| Securities Purchase Agreement
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Issuance of common stock, gross sale price per share									$ 0.7912
At-the-Market Facility \| Maximum
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Aggregate offering price of common stock				$ 50,000,000.0		$ 50,000,000.0
Private Placement \| President and Chief Executive Officer and Member and Chairman Of Board Of Directors
Stockholders Equity [Line Items]
Issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs, shares		1,229,508
Proceeds from issuance of common stock, net of issuance costs		$ 1,500,000
Issuance of common stock, price per share		$ 1.22

Acer Therapeutics Inc. 10-Q