Consolidated Statements of Equity/Capital - 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, 2015			96,091,932
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 1,619,282	$ 1,590,232	$ 961	$ 29,050	$ 15,759	$ 1,560,309	$ 2,598,242	$ (3,811)	$ (3,811)	$ 17,975	$ 17,975	$ (1,023,135)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		187,214			1,872	185,342
Distributions on Common Units		(127,391)			(1,274)	(126,117)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(1,877)			(19)	(1,858)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings - Shares			3,930,262
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	187,214		$ 39				187,175
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			60,048
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	3,006						3,006
Dividends on Common Stock	(124,228)											(124,228)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,877)											(1,877)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(13,390)						(13,390)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(966)	(966)								(966)	(966)
Issuances of restricted stock - shares			130,752
Issuances of restricted stock	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(130)			(130)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - shares			(8,888)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	5,412	5,412	$ 2		54	5,358	5,410
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(22,097)			(221)	(21,876)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(14,876)											(14,876)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(9)	(932)				941	941	(941)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	514,103	514,103			5,141	508,962						514,103
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	(5,449)	(5,449)						(5,449)	(5,449)
Total comprehensive income	508,654	508,654
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2016			100,204,106
Balance at Sep. 30, 2016	$ 2,168,101	2,139,181	$ 1,002	28,920	21,303	2,109,188	2,780,443	(9,260)	(9,260)	17,950	17,950	(650,954)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016	101,665,554		101,665,554
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 2,154,316	2,125,396	$ 1,017	28,920	21,023	2,081,463	2,850,881	4,949	4,949	17,961	17,961	(749,412)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		70,307			703	69,604
Distributions on Common Units		(138,577)			(1,386)	(137,191)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(1,869)			(19)	(1,850)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings - Shares			1,464,638
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	70,307		$ 15				70,292
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			8,000
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	408						408
Dividends on Common Stock	(135,375)											(135,375)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,869)											(1,869)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(3,297)						(3,297)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,231)	(1,231)								(1,231)	(1,231)
Issuances of restricted stock - shares			110,748
Issuances of restricted stock	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(28)			(28)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - shares			0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	5,764	5,764			58	5,706	5,764
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(3,189)			(31)	(3,158)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,502)											(3,502)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(9)	(905)				914	914	(914)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	132,588	132,588			1,326	131,262						132,588
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	961	961						961	961
Total comprehensive income	$ 133,549	133,549
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2017	103,248,940		103,248,940
Balance at Sep. 30, 2017	$ 2,219,042	$ 2,190,150	$ 1,032	$ 28,892	$ 21,665	$ 2,144,931	$ 2,924,048	$ 5,910	$ 5,910	$ 17,644	$ 17,644	$ (758,484)