CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests -- Operating Partnership Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock	Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests -- Operating Partnership	Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Dividends in Excess of Earnings	Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net	Total Noncontrolling Interests	Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock	Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Joint Ventures Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Redeemable Interests Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Total
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				$ 1		18,269							$ 18,270	18,270
Common stock issued in connection with acquisition (shares)				125,395
Issuance of common stock, net of costs				$ 11		168,298								168,309
Issuance of common stock, net of costs (shares)				1,060,943
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan						9,895							9,895	9,895
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan (shares)				82,129
Amortization of share-based compensation						69,278							69,278	69,278
Vesting of restricted stock, net (shares)				385,783
Net share settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting				$ (1)		(16,549)							(16,550)	(16,550)
Reclassification of vested share-based awards						(23,008)			23,008
Redemption of preferred stock			(219,250)				18,000						(201,250)	(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
Deconsolidation of consolidated joint venture/consolidated entities									(197,016)		$ (197,016)		(197,016)	(197,016)
Net income		347					641,449		15,219		(434)	$ 347	656,668	656,668
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments								(248,367)	(6,077)				(254,444)	(254,444)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps								753	19				772	772
Other comprehensive income (loss)- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense								1,044	26				1,070	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 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
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2021		46,995	731,690	$ 2,824		21,075,863	(3,631,929)	(173,880)	472,219					18,476,787
Ending balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2021				284,415,013
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 costs				$ 6		92,865								92,871
Issuance of common stock, net of costs (shares)				583,181
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan						6,468							6,468	6,468
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan (shares)				52,654
Amortization of share-based compensation						19,427							19,427	19,427
Vesting of restricted stock, net (shares)				45,664
Net share settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting						(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		65					134,275		2,201		(734)	65	136,476	136,476
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments								(143,847)	(3,273)				(147,120)	(147,120)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps								204	5				209	209
Other comprehensive income (loss)- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense								350	8				358	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
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2021		46,995	731,690	$ 2,824		21,075,863	(3,631,929)	(173,880)	472,219					18,476,787
Beginning balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2021				284,415,013
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of common units to common stock						1,962			(1,962)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)				23,550
Amortization of unearned compensation on share-based awards						(62,253)								(62,253)
Amortization of share-based compensation													62,253
Vesting of restricted stock, net (shares)				305,054
Partial settlement of forward sale agreements, net of costs				$ 27		400,851								400,878
Partial settlement of forward sale agreements, net of costs (shares)				2,700,727
Shares issued under equity plans, net of share settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting						4,541								4,541
Shares issued under equity plans, net of share settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting (shares)				63,863
Reclassification of vested share-based awards						(29,210)			29,210
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests		(12,124)				12,124								12,124
Dividends declared on preferred stock							(30,543)						(30,543)	(30,543)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units		(570)					(1,047,512)		(23,127)					(1,070,639)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests associated with acquisition of Teraco		1,530,090										1,530,090
Contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities		1,703							21,906		21,906	1,703	161,644	21,906
Net income		(3,353)					373,783		9,134		829	(3,353)	243,179	382,917
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments		(132,821)						(693,822)	(16,393)			(132,821)	(710,215)	(710,215)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps								6,050	116				6,166	6,166
Other comprehensive income (loss)- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense								(1,152)	(2)				(1,154)	(1,154)
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2022		1,429,920	731,690	$ 2,851		21,528,384	(4,336,201)	(862,804)	491,101					17,555,021
Ending balance (shares) at Sep. 30, 2022				287,508,207
Beginning balance at Jun. 30, 2022		41,047	731,690	$ 2,824		21,091,364	(4,211,685)	(475,561)	491,587					17,630,219
Beginning balance (shares) at Jun. 30, 2022				284,733,922
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of common units to common stock						503			(503)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)				6,253
Amortization of unearned compensation on share-based awards						21,288								21,288
Amortization of share-based compensation													21,288
Vesting of restricted stock, net (shares)				45,630
Partial settlement of forward sale agreements, net of costs				$ 27		399,695							399,722	399,722
Partial settlement of forward sale agreements, net of costs (shares)				2,658,539
Shares issued under equity plans, net of share settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting						11,684								11,684
Shares issued under equity plans, net of share settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting (shares)				63,863
Reclassification of vested share-based awards						(933)			933
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests		(4,783)				4,783								4,783
Dividends declared on preferred stock							(10,181)						(10,181)	(10,181)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units		(190)					(351,410)		(7,314)					(358,724)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests associated with acquisition of Teraco		1,530,090										(1,530,090)
Contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities									10,379		10,379		10,379	10,379
Net income		(3,423)					237,075		5,139		$ (136)	(3,423)	242,214	242,214
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments		(132,821)						(393,166)	(9,259)			$ (132,821)	(402,425)	(402,425)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps								7,015	139				7,154	7,154
Other comprehensive income (loss)- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense								(1,092)					$ (1,092)	(1,092)
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2022		$ 1,429,920	$ 731,690	$ 2,851		$ 21,528,384	$ (4,336,201)	$ (862,804)	$ 491,101					$ 17,555,021
Ending balance (shares) at Sep. 30, 2022				287,508,207