CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CAPITAL - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance (units)	291,148
Common units issued in connection with acquisition			$ 18,270,000
Contribution from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities	$ 4,345,000	$ 46,277,000	125,186,000
Partial settlement of forward sale agreements, net of costs		923,463,000
Deconsolidation of noncontrolling interest in consolidated entities	(65,358,000)		(197,016,000)
Sale of noncontrolling interest in property to DCRU		(76,891,000)
Net income (loss)	(967,930,000)	384,978,000	1,746,482,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)	$ (157,198,000)	$ (431,978,000)	(316,245,000)
Ending balance (units)	311,608	291,148
Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemption of preferred units			(201,250,000)
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 18,107,465,000	$ 18,476,787,000	18,446,336,000
Issuance of common unit, net of offering costs	2,207,260,000		172,096,000
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities		46,277,000
Contribution from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities	4,345,000		125,186,000
Units issued under equity plans, net of unit settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting	(1,945,000)	8,639,000	(6,839,000)
Common units and share-based awards issued in connection with business combinations			18,270,000
Net unit settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting		(7,143,000)
Amortization of share-based compensation	88,518,000	92,461,000	88,414,000
Partial settlement of forward sale agreements, net of costs		923,463,000
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units	(5,354,000)	11,954,000
Distributions	(1,544,156,000)	(1,474,864,000)	(1,392,817,000)
Deconsolidation of noncontrolling interest in consolidated entities	(65,358,000)		(197,016,000)
Sale of noncontrolling interest in property to DCRU		76,891,000
Net income (loss)	967,930,000	384,978,000	1,746,482,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(157,198,000)	431,978,000	316,245,000
Ending balance	19,601,507,000	18,107,465,000	18,476,787,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemption of preferred units			(201,250,000)
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units			5,830,000
Redeemable Interests | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	1,514,679,000	46,995,000	42,011,000
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities		1,703,000
Contribution from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities	129,000		(1,052,000)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests associated with acquisition of Teraco		1,530,090,000
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units	5,354,000	(11,954,000)
Distributions	(760,000)	(760,000)	(724,000)
Net income (loss)	(17,618,000)	(4,653,000)	930,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(106,970,000)	46,742,000
Ending balance	1,394,814,000	1,514,679,000	46,995,000
Redeemable Interests | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units			(5,830,000)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	(613,423,000)	(181,445,000)	134,800,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(159,245,000)	431,978,000	316,245,000
Ending balance	(772,668,000)	(613,423,000)	(181,445,000)
Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Joint Ventures | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	104,814,000	46,882,000	119,659,000
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities		46,277,000
Contribution from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities	4,345,000		125,186,000
Deconsolidation of noncontrolling interest in consolidated entities	(65,358,000)		(197,016,000)
Sale of noncontrolling interest in property to DCRU		12,275,000
Net income (loss)	(1,143,000)	(620,000)	(947,000)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	3,234,000
Ending balance	45,892,000	104,814,000	46,882,000
General Partner | Preferred Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 731,690,000	$ 731,690,000	$ 950,940,000
Beginning balance (units)	30,200,000	30,200,000	38,250,000
Distributions	$ (40,724,000)	$ (40,724,000)	$ (45,761,000)
Net income (loss)	40,724,000	40,724,000	45,761,000
Ending balance	$ 731,690,000	$ 731,690,000	$ 731,690,000
Ending balance (units)	30,200,000	30,200,000	30,200,000
General Partner | Preferred Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemption of preferred units			$ (219,250,000)
Redemption of preferred units (in units)			(8,050,000)
General Partner | Common Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 17,447,442,000	$ 17,446,758,000	$ 16,631,747,000
Beginning balance (units)	291,148,222	284,415,013	280,289,726
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units	$ 8,234,000	$ 2,942,000	$ 206,720,000
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)	112,607	36,284	2,502,331
Vesting of restricted common units, net (units)	265,671		354,489
Issuance of common unit, net of offering costs	$ 2,207,260,000		$ 172,096,000
Common units issued in connection with acquisition (in units)		340,874
Units issued under equity plans, net of unit settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting	$ (1,945,000)	$ 8,639,000	$ (6,839,000)
Units issued under equity plans, net of unit settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting (in units)	123,539	106,051	82,129
Common units and share-based awards issued in connection with business combinations			$ 18,270,000
Common units and share-based awards issued in connection with Interxion combination (in units)			125,395
Issuance of common units, net of offering costs (in units)	19,957,541		1,060,943
Net unit settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting		$ (7,143,000)
Amortization of share-based compensation	$ 88,518,000	92,461,000	$ 88,414,000
Partial settlement of forward sale agreements, net of costs		$ 923,463,000
Partial settlement of forward sale agreements, net of costs (shares)		6,250,000
Reclassification of vested share-based awards	(41,396,000)	$ (29,864,000)	(23,829,000)
Redemption of preferred units	(1,472,449,000)
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units	(5,354,000)	11,954,000
Distributions		(1,403,344,000)	(1,315,989,000)
Sale of noncontrolling interest in property to DCRU		64,616,000
Net income (loss)	908,114,000	336,960,000	1,663,998,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(1,187,000)
Ending balance	$ 19,137,237,000	$ 17,447,442,000	$ 17,446,758,000
Ending balance (units)	311,607,580	291,148,222	284,415,013
General Partner | Common Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemption of preferred units			$ 18,000,000
General Partner | Common Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units			5,830,000
Limited Partners | Common Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 436,942,000	$ 432,902,000	$ 609,190,000
Beginning balance (units)	6,288,669	5,931,771	8,046,267
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units	$ (8,234,000)	$ (2,942,000)	$ (206,720,000)
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)		(36,284)	(2,502,331)
Issuance of limited partner common units, net	$ 272,925
Issuance of limited partner common units, net (in units)	(112,607)	393,182
Issuance of common units, net of forfeitures (units)			387,835
Reclassification of vested share-based awards	$ 41,396,000	$ 29,864,000	$ 23,829,000
Distributions	(30,983,000)	(30,796,000)	(31,067,000)
Net income (loss)	20,235,000	7,914,000	37,670,000
Ending balance	$ 459,356,000	$ 436,942,000	$ 432,902,000
Ending balance (units)	6,448,987	6,288,669	5,931,771