Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]	General Partners' Common Units [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Limited Partners' Common Units [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Distributions in Excess of Net Income Available for Common Stockholders [Member]
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013			89,920,915
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 1,507,467	$ 1,478,562	$ 899	$ 29,077	$ 14,596	$ 1,445,181	$ 2,370,368	$ (2,611)	$ (2,611)	$ 21,396	$ 21,396	$ (911,662)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		45,922			459	45,463			0		0
Redemptions of Common Units		(93)			(1)	(92)			0		0
Distributions paid on Common Units		(118,261)			(1,183)	(117,078)			0		0
Distributions paid on Preferred Units		(1,881)			(19)	(1,862)			0		0
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings - Shares			1,175,191
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	45,922		$ 12	0			45,910	0		0		0
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			4,417
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	162		$ 0	0			162	0		0		0
Dividends on Common Stock	(115,037)		0	0			0	0		0		(115,037)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,881)		0	0			0	0		0		(1,881)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(8,955)		0	0			(8,955)	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(940)	(940)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(940)	(940)	0
Issuances of restricted stock - shares			169,501
Issuances of restricted stock	0		$ 0	0			0	0		0		0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	6,179	6,179	2	0	62	6,117	6,177	0	0	0	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(8,333)			(83)	(8,250)			0		0
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(2,813)		0	0			0	0		0		(2,813)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0	(12)	(1,140)	0	0	0	1,152	1,152	(1,152)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	92,387	92,387	0	0	924	91,463	0	0	0	0	0	92,387
Other comprehensive loss	(220)	(220)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	(220)	(220)	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	92,167	92,167
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2014			91,270,024
Balance at Sep. 30, 2014	$ 1,522,271	1,493,322	$ 913	29,077	14,743	1,459,802	2,413,662	(2,831)	(2,831)	21,608	21,608	(940,158)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	92,907,310		92,907,310
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 1,551,091	1,522,223	$ 929	29,060	15,078	1,492,948	2,464,275	(3,912)	(3,912)	18,109	18,109	(957,370)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		93,216			932	92,284			0		0
Distributions paid on Common Units		(122,929)			(1,230)	(121,699)			0		0
Distributions paid on Preferred Units		(1,879)			(19)	(1,860)			0		0
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings - Shares			2,268,380
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	93,216		$ 23	0			93,193	0		0		0
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			26,820
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	1,206		$ 0	0			1,206	0		0		0
Dividends on Common Stock	(119,729)		0	0			0	0		0		(119,729)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,879)		0	0			0	0		0		(1,879)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	14,649		0	0			14,649	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,070)	(1,070)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(1,070)	(1,070)	0
Issuances of restricted stock - shares			128,951
Issuances of restricted stock	0		$ 0	0			0	0		0		0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(10)		$ 0	(10)			0	0		0		0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - shares			(1,703)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	5,996	5,996	$ 1	0	60	5,936	5,995	0	0	0	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		16,567			166	16,401			0		0
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(2,296)		0	0			0	0		0		(2,296)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0	(9)	(939)	0	0	0	948	948	(948)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	79,343	79,343	0	0	793	78,550	0	0	0	0	0	79,343
Other comprehensive loss	(2,698)	(2,698)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	(2,698)	(2,698)	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	$ 76,645	76,645
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2015	95,329,758		95,329,758
Balance at Sep. 30, 2015	$ 1,617,819	$ 1,588,769	$ 953	$ 29,050	$ 15,771	$ 1,561,621	$ 2,579,318	$ (6,610)	$ (6,610)	$ 17,987	$ 17,987	$ (1,002,879)