Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 73,039	$ 480,263
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	111,961	108,811
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(345)	(1,179)
Share-based compensation expense	4,837	4,550
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	110	1,218
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(274)	(212)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	1,649	1,801
Amortization of cash flow hedges	781	1,578
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	139	(116)
Gains on debt extinguishment	(826)	0
Net gains on disposition of property	(5,332)	(424,754)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(1,710)	(2,202)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	2,907	1,095
Settlement of cash flow hedges	7,322	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	4,358	(181)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(1,455)	(5,297)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(15,228)	(13,600)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(9,818)	(13,970)
Net cash provided by operating activities	172,115	137,805
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	0	(9,058)
Investments in development in-process	(97,096)	(74,668)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(54,119)	(42,954)
Investments in building improvements	(31,070)	(31,677)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	11,532	675,003
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	7,445	2,118
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	0	(7,818)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	2,357	155
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(172)	(105)
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	4,496	(257,181)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities	(156,627)	253,815
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(89,952)	(82,272)
Special dividend on Common Stock	(81,205)	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(15)	(115)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,246)	(1,253)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(2,495)	(2,463)
Special distribution to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(2,271)	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(858)	(900)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	74,987	110,158
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	(1,199)	(1,629)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(3,955)	(4,057)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	425,300	153,800
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(314,300)	(169,800)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	456,001	0
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(506,679)	(394,738)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs	(57)	0
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(3,688)	(943)
Net cash used in financing activities	(51,632)	(394,212)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(36,144)	(2,592)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	49,490	5,036
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	13,346	2,444
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	34,930	38,222
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	316	(9,395)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	305	1,558
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(21,961)	9,227
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	28,449	21,948
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	15,023	11,690
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	4,324	0
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(287)	15,042
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	73,039	480,263
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	111,961	108,811
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(345)	(1,179)
Share-based compensation expense	4,837	4,550
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	110	1,218
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(274)	(212)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	1,649	1,801
Amortization of cash flow hedges	781	1,578
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	139	(116)
Gains on debt extinguishment	(826)	0
Net gains on disposition of property	(5,332)	(424,754)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(1,710)	(2,202)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	2,907	1,095
Settlement of cash flow hedges	7,322	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	4,358	(181)
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(1,455)	(5,297)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(15,228)	(13,600)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(9,818)	(13,970)
Net cash provided by operating activities	172,115	137,805
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	0	(9,058)
Investments in development in-process	(97,096)	(74,668)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(54,119)	(42,954)
Investments in building improvements	(31,070)	(31,677)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	11,532	675,003
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	7,445	2,118
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	0	(7,818)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	2,357	155
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(172)	(105)
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	4,496	(257,181)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities	(156,627)	253,815
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(92,087)	(84,387)
Special distribution on Common Units	(83,149)	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(15)	(115)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(1,246)	(1,253)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(858)	(900)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	74,987	110,158
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	(1,199)	(1,629)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(3,955)	(4,057)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	425,300	153,800
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(314,300)	(169,800)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	456,001	0
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(506,679)	(394,738)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs	(57)	0
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(4,375)	(1,291)
Net cash used in financing activities	(51,632)	(394,212)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents	(36,144)	(2,592)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	49,490	5,036
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	13,346	2,444
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	34,930	38,222
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	316	(9,395)
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(21,961)	9,227
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	28,449	21,948
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	15,023	11,690
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	4,324	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	$ (1,156)	$ 24,971