Earnings per Common Share or Unit - Summary of Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share and Unit (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020
Class of Stock
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 127,369	$ 53,676	$ 499,775	$ 256,535
Weighted average units outstanding-basic (shares/units)	281,791,855	267,569,823	281,445,252	244,866,574
Potentially dilutive common shares/units:
Unvested incentive units (shares/units)	176,777	110,178	167,352	81,319
Unvested restricted stock (shares/units)	164,787	312,634	142,677	261,758
Forward equity offering (shares/units)		2,246,171		1,845,832
Market performance-based awards (shares/units)	300,438	505,602	320,330	520,531
Weighted average shares/units outstanding-diluted (shares/units)	282,433,857	270,744,408	282,075,611	247,576,014
Income per share/unit:
Basic (in dollars per share/unit)	$ 0.45	$ 0.20	$ 1.78	$ 1.05
Diluted (in dollars per share/unit)	$ 0.45	$ 0.20	$ 1.77	$ 1.04
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Class of Stock
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 130,569	$ 55,076	$ 512,775	$ 265,735
Weighted average units outstanding-basic (shares/units)	288,842,803	275,544,524	288,588,250	252,995,033
Potentially dilutive common shares/units:
Unvested incentive units (shares/units)	176,777	110,178	167,352	81,319
Unvested restricted stock (shares/units)	164,787	312,634	142,677	261,758
Forward equity offering (shares/units)		2,246,171		1,845,832
Market performance-based awards (shares/units)	300,438	505,602	320,330	520,531
Weighted average shares/units outstanding-diluted (shares/units)	289,484,805	278,719,109	289,218,609	255,704,473
Income per share/unit:
Basic (in dollars per share/unit)	$ 0.45	$ 0.20	$ 1.78	$ 1.05
Diluted (in dollars per share/unit)	$ 0.45	$ 0.20	$ 1.77	$ 1.04