Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) ft² a property customers shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Description of Business [Abstract]
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate (in square feet) | ft²	32,486,000
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate under development (in square feet) | ft²	1,454,200
Undeveloped land suitable for future development (in acres) | a	500
Number of common units required to convert to one share of common stock (in shares) | shares	1
Number of trading days preceeding Redemption Notice Date (in days)	10 days
Percentage of equity interest in joint ventures, maximum	50.00%
Consolidated in-service office properties not wholly owned (in units) | property	3
Joint venture partner's interest in unconsolidated affiliate (in hundredths)	80.00%
Real estate assets, depreciation expense	$ 168,663	$ 154,448	$ 138,163
Maturity of highly liquid investments (in months)	3 months
Percent of annual REIT taxable income required to pay to the Company's stockholders	90.00%
Customers with leases on wholly owned properties | customers	1,910
Percent of annualized cash rental revenue derived from geographic locations	10.00%
Limit of consolidated revenue generated by any single customer	6.00%
Adjustment interval of variable debt interest rates, mimimum (in months)	1 month
Adjustment interval of variable debt interest rates, maximum (in months)	3 months
Net real estate assets	$ 3,762,223	3,248,045
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	20,676	50,685
Total Assets	4,493,432	3,999,123
Distributions in excess of net income available for common stockholders	(1,023,135)	(957,370)
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity	$ 4,493,432	$ 3,999,123
Section 1031 Exchange VIE Member
Description of Business [Abstract]
Number of office properties acquired | property	3
Like-kind exchange agreement, maximum (in days)	P180D
VIE total assets	$ 421,300
VIE total liabilities	16,300
VIE total cash flows	$ 7,100
Building [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	40 years
Building Improvements [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	15 years
Furniture and Fixtures [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	5 years
Furniture and Fixtures [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	7 years
Leaseholds and Leasehold Improvements [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	3 years
Leaseholds and Leasehold Improvements [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Property, plant and equipment useful life	10 years
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Common Units of partnership owned (in shares) | shares	95,700,000
Percentage of ownership of Common Units	97.10%	96.90%
Common units redeemed for a like number of common shares of stock (in shares) | shares	37,203
Joint venture partner's interest in unconsolidated affiliate (in hundredths)	80.00%
Gain recognized on partial sale	$ 2,200
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Common Units of partnership not owned by the Company (in shares) | shares	2,900,000
Net real estate assets	$ 3,762,223	$ 3,248,045
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	20,676	50,685
Total Assets	4,493,432	3,999,229
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity	$ 4,493,432	3,999,229
Previously Reported Disclosure [Member] | Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Description of Business [Abstract]
Net real estate assets		(29,400)
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates		23,614
Total Assets		(5,786)
Financing obligation		(14,557)
Distributions in excess of net income available for common stockholders		8,771
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity		$ (5,786)