Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 132,588	$ 514,103
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	168,934	161,734
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(666)	(1,599)
Share-based compensation expense	5,764	5,412
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	435	1,846
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(391)	(364)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	2,445	2,645
Amortization of cash flow hedges	992	2,336
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	422	(175)
Impairments of real estate assets	1,445	0
Gains on debt extinguishment	(826)	0
Net gains on disposition of property	(25,181)	(428,656)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(6,757)	(5,010)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	4,815	3,936
Settlement of cash flow hedges	7,322	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	916	4,798
Prepaid expenses and other assets	2,735	(2,243)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(24,473)	(18,931)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(308)	(7,447)
Net cash provided by operating activities	270,211	232,385
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	0	(110,249)
Investments in development in-process	(121,367)	(122,839)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(78,691)	(63,715)
Investments in building improvements	(41,862)	(51,714)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	85,538	680,994
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	11,670	2,639
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	0	(7,934)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	2,435	869
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(10,063)	(105)
Repayments from unconsolidated affiliates	0	448
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(24,225)	(23,310)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities	(176,565)	305,084
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(135,375)	(124,228)
Special dividend on Common Stock	(81,205)	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(28)	(130)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,869)	(1,877)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,742)	(3,684)
Special distribution to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(2,271)	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,231)	(966)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	75,517	194,518
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	(1,244)	(2,888)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(3,966)	(4,416)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	492,300	257,800
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(420,300)	(528,800)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	456,001	75,000
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(507,114)	(395,455)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs	(57)	0
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(3,688)	(992)
Net cash used in financing activities	(138,272)	(536,118)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(44,626)	1,351
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	49,490	5,036
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	4,864	6,387
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	50,025	58,138
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges	(31)	(7,785)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	408	3,006
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(6,327)	25,037
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	41,860	28,783
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	28,343	16,075
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	4,324	916
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	3,297	13,390
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	132,588	514,103
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	168,934	161,734
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(666)	(1,599)
Share-based compensation expense	5,764	5,412
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	435	1,846
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(391)	(364)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	2,445	2,645
Amortization of cash flow hedges	992	2,336
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	422	(175)
Impairments of real estate assets	1,445	0
Gains on debt extinguishment	(826)	0
Net gains on disposition of property	(25,181)	(428,656)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(6,757)	(5,010)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	4,815	3,523
Settlement of cash flow hedges	7,322	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	916	4,798
Prepaid expenses and other assets	2,735	(2,243)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(24,473)	(18,931)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(308)	(7,447)
Net cash provided by operating activities	270,211	231,972
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	0	(110,249)
Investments in development in-process	(121,367)	(122,839)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(78,691)	(63,715)
Investments in building improvements	(41,862)	(51,714)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	85,538	680,994
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	11,670	3,052
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	0	(7,934)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	2,435	869
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	(10,063)	(105)
Repayments from unconsolidated affiliates	0	448
Changes in restricted cash and other investing activities	(24,225)	(23,310)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities	(176,565)	305,497
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(138,577)	(127,391)
Special distribution on Common Units	(83,149)	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(28)	(130)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(1,869)	(1,877)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,231)	(966)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	75,517	194,518
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	(1,244)	(2,888)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(3,966)	(4,416)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	492,300	257,800
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(420,300)	(528,800)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	456,001	75,000
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(507,114)	(395,455)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs	(57)	0
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(4,555)	(1,513)
Net cash used in financing activities	(138,272)	(536,118)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	(44,626)	1,351
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period	49,490	5,036
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	4,864	6,387
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	50,025	58,138
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges	(31)	(7,785)
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(6,327)	25,037
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	41,860	28,783
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	28,343	16,075
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	4,324	916
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	$ 2,649	$ 21,576