CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	General Partner Preferred Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock	General Partner Preferred Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	General Partner Preferred Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	General Partner Preferred Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	General Partner Common Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock	General Partner Common Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	General Partner Common Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	General Partner Common Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Limited Partners Common Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Redeemable Interests Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Interest Rate Swap	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Joint Ventures Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock	Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Interest Rate Swap	Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests -- Operating Partnership	Preferred Stock Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Preferred Stock Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Preferred Stock Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Dividends in Excess of Earnings Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Accumulated Dividends in Excess of Earnings Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Accumulated Dividends in Excess of Earnings Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Accumulated Dividends in Excess of Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net Interest Rate Swap	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net	Noncontrolling Interests Interest Rate Swap	Noncontrolling Interests	Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Interest Rate Swap	Total
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2019																			$ 41,465				$ 1,434,420	$ 2,073	$ 11,577,320				$ (3,046,579)		$ (87,922)		$ 728,788					$ 10,608,100
Beginning balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2019																								208,900,758
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of common units to common stock																								$ 9	80,577								(80,586)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)																								927,779
Common stock and share-based awards issued in connection with InterXion combination								$ 6,985,052										$ 6,985,052						$ 543	6,984,509													6,985,052
Common stock and share-based awards issued in connection with InterXion combination (in shares)								54,298,595																54,298,595
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs																								$ 159	1,889,575													1,889,734
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs (shares)																								15,915,673
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan								$ 6,503										6,503							6,503													6,503
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan (shares)								58,136																58,136
Amortization of share-based compensation								$ 56,814										56,814							58,064													58,064
Vesting of restricted stock, net (shares)								180,320																(180,320)
Shares repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting								$ (7,320)										(7,320)							(8,570)													(8,570)
Reclassification of vested share-based awards																									(17,116)								17,116
Reclassification of stock to accounts payable and other accrued liabilities		$ (241,468)				$ (8,532)									$ (250,000)						$ (241,468)						$ (8,532)								$ (250,000)
Redemption of preferred stock			$ (242,012)				$ (7,988)									$ (250,000)						$ (242,012)						$ (7,988)								$ (250,000)
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests																			4,217						(4,217)													(4,217)
Dividends declared on preferred stock																		(63,022)											(63,022)									(63,022)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units																			(525)										(899,487)				(28,464)					(927,951)
Contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities										$ 2,089			$ 87,645					87,645	2,089														87,645					87,645
Net income (loss)				$ 63,022				235,685	$ 8,354	(3,535)			(304)					306,757	(3,535)										298,707				8,050					306,757
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments										(2,446)		$ (34,796)						(34,796)	(2,446)												(31,121)		(3,675)					(34,796)
Other comprehensive income-fair value of interest rate swaps											$ (12,711)						$ (12,711)	(12,711)												$ (12,259)		$ (452)					$ (12,711)	(12,711)
Other comprehensive income- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income/loss to interest expense												7,899						7,899													7,679		220					7,899
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2020																			41,265				950,940	$ 2,784	20,566,645				(3,726,901)		(123,623)		728,642					18,398,487
Ending balance (shares) at Sep. 30, 2020																								279,920,621
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2019																			41,465				1,434,420	$ 2,073	11,577,320				(3,046,579)		(87,922)		728,788					10,608,100
Beginning balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2019																								208,900,758
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2020																			42,011				950,940	$ 2,788	20,626,897				(3,997,938)		135,010		728,639					18,446,336
Ending balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2020																								280,289,726
Beginning balance at Jun. 30, 2020																			40,584				1,434,420	$ 2,670	19,292,311				(3,386,525)		(358,349)		698,122					17,682,649
Beginning balance (shares) at Jun. 30, 2020																								268,399,073
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of common units to common stock																								$ 1	10,303								(10,304)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)																								121,967
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs																								$ 113	1,244,990													1,245,103
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs (shares)																								11,329,722
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan								$ 3,865										3,865							3,865													3,865
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan (shares)								32,902																32,902
Amortization of share-based compensation								$ 20,334										20,334							20,334													20,334
Vesting of restricted stock, net (shares)								36,957																(36,957)
Shares repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting								$ (3,820)										(3,820)							(3,820)													(3,820)
Reclassification of vested share-based awards																									(612)								612
Reclassification of stock to accounts payable and other accrued liabilities		$ (241,468)				$ (8,532)									$ (250,000)						$ (241,468)						$ (8,532)								$ (250,000)
Redemption of preferred stock			$ (242,012)				$ (7,988)									$ (250,000)						$ (242,012)						$ (7,988)								$ (250,000)
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests																			726						(726)													(726)
Dividends declared on preferred stock																		(20,712)											(20,712)									(20,712)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units																			(175)										(303,006)				(9,314)					(312,320)
Contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities										522			43,663					43,663	522														43,663					43,663
Net income (loss)				20,712				(20,850)	(981)	(347)			12					(1,107)	(347)										(138)				(969)					(1,107)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments										(45)		233,747						233,747	(45)												227,136		6,611					233,747
Other comprehensive income-fair value of interest rate swaps											138						138	137												134		4					138	137
Other comprehensive income- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income/loss to interest expense												7,673						7,673													7,456		217					7,673
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2020																			41,265				950,940	$ 2,784	20,566,645				(3,726,901)		(123,623)		728,642					18,398,487
Ending balance (shares) at Sep. 30, 2020																								279,920,621
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units								(726)		726								(726)
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2020																			42,011				950,940	$ 2,788	20,626,897				(3,997,938)		135,010		728,639					18,446,336
Beginning balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2020																								280,289,726
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of common units to common stock																								$ 19	157,893								(157,912)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)																								1,902,826
Common stock issued in connection with acquisition								$ 18,270										18,270						$ 1	18,269													18,270
Common stock issued in connection with acquisition (shares)								125,395																125,395
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs																								$ 11	168,298													168,309
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs (shares)																								1,060,943
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan								$ 9,895										9,895							9,895													9,895
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan (shares)								82,129																82,129
Amortization of share-based compensation								$ 69,278										69,278							69,278													69,278
Vesting of restricted stock, net (shares)								385,783																385,783
Shares repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting								$ (16,550)										(16,550)						$ (1)	(16,549)													(16,550)
Reclassification of vested share-based awards																									(23,008)								23,008
Redemption of preferred stock	$ (219,250)				$ 18,000									$ (201,250)						$ (219,250)						$ 18,000								$ (201,250)
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests																			771						(771)													(771)
Dividends declared on preferred stock																		(35,580)											(35,580)									(35,580)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units																			(543)										(984,964)				(23,779)					(1,008,743)
Contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities										(1,666)			110,115					110,115	(1,666)														110,115					110,115
Deconsolidation of consolidated joint venture/consolidated entities													(197,016)					(197,016)															(197,016)					(197,016)
Net income (loss)				35,580				605,869	15,653	347			(434)					656,668	347										641,449				15,219					656,668
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments												(254,444)						(254,444)													(248,367)		(6,077)					(254,444)
Other comprehensive income-fair value of interest rate swaps											$ 772						$ 772	772												753		19					772	772
Other comprehensive income- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income/loss to interest expense												1,070						1,070													1,044		26					1,070
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2021																			40,920				731,690	$ 2,818	21,010,202				(4,359,033)		(111,560)		492,242					17,766,359
Ending balance (shares) at Sep. 30, 2021																								283,846,802
Beginning balance at Jun. 30, 2021																			41,490				731,690	$ 2,806	20,844,834				(4,153,407)		31,733		706,591					18,164,247
Beginning balance (shares) at Jun. 30, 2021																								282,603,152
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of common units to common stock																								$ 6	46,509								(46,515)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)																								562,151
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs																								$ 6	92,865													92,871
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs (shares)																								583,181
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan								$ 6,468										6,468							6,468													6,468
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan (shares)								52,654																52,654
Amortization of share-based compensation								$ 19,427										19,427							19,427													19,427
Vesting of restricted stock, net (shares)								45,664																45,664
Shares repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting								$ (701)										(701)							(701)													(701)
Reclassification of vested share-based awards																									(138)								138
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests																			(938)						938													938
Dividends declared on preferred stock																		(10,181)											(10,181)									(10,181)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units																			(181)										(329,720)				(7,277)					(336,997)
Contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities										484			37,380					37,380	484														37,380					37,380
Deconsolidation of consolidated joint venture/consolidated entities													(197,016)					(197,016)															(197,016)					(197,016)
Net income (loss)				$ 10,181				124,094	$ 2,935	65			(734)					136,476	65										134,275				2,201					136,476
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments												(147,120)	$ 0					(147,120)													(143,847)		(3,273)					(147,120)
Other comprehensive income-fair value of interest rate swaps																		209												$ 204		$ 5					$ 209	209
Other comprehensive income- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income/loss to interest expense												$ 358						358													350		8					358
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2021																			$ 40,920				$ 731,690	$ 2,818	$ 21,010,202				$ (4,359,033)		$ (111,560)		$ 492,242					$ 17,766,359
Ending balance (shares) at Sep. 30, 2021																								283,846,802
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common units, net of forfeitures (units)									807
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units								$ 938		$ (938)								$ 938