Equity (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period	$ 125,537	$ 112,624	$ 305,846
Possible future share issuance authorized under charter	103,900,000
Number of trading days preceeding Redemption Notice Date (in days)	10 days
Dividends, Common Stock [Abstract]
Ordinary income	$ 1.50	$ 1.31	$ 1.28
Capital gains	0.13	0.29	0.26
Return of capital	0.07	0.10	0.16
Total taxability of dividends per share	$ 1.70	$ 1.70	1.70
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Number of shares outstanding, Preferred Stock (in shares)	29,050	29,060
Carrying value, Preferred Stock	$ 29,050	$ 29,060
Liquidation preference per share, Preferred Stock (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Warrants [Abstract]
Warrants to acquire Common Stock/Units, outstanding	15,000	15,000
Exercise price of outstanding warrants	$ 32.50	$ 32.50
Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Ordinary income	79.23	70.41	71.56
Capital gains	7.02	15.84	14.69
Total taxability of dividends per share	$ 86.25	$ 86.25	86.25
Issuance date, Preferred Stock/Unit	Feb. 12, 1997	Feb. 12, 1997
Liquidation preference per share, Preferred Stock (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Optional redemption date, Preferred Stock/Unit	Feb. 12, 2027	Feb. 12, 2027
Annual dividends payable per share, Preferred Stock/Unit (in dollars per share)	$ 86.25	$ 86.25	86.25
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | ATM Equity Offering [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of Common Stock sold during the period (in shares)	2,922,905	2,500,031
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period	$ 124,900	$ 104,100
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Distributions paid per share of Common Unit (in dollars per share)	$ 1.70	$ 1.70	$ 1.70
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Number of units outstanding, Preferred Units (in shares)	29,050	29,060
Carrying value, Preferred units	$ 29,050	$ 29,060
Liquidation preference per unit, Preferred Units (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Total taxability of dividends per share	$ 86.25	$ 86.25
Issuance date, Preferred Stock/Unit	Feb. 12, 1997	Feb. 12, 1997
Liquidation preference per unit, Preferred Units (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Optional redemption date, Preferred Stock/Unit	Feb. 12, 2027	Feb. 12, 2027
Annual dividends payable per share, Preferred Stock/Unit (in dollars per share)	$ 86.25	$ 86.25