Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 122,253	$ 132,588
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	171,923	168,934
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(1,488)	(666)
Share-based compensation expense	6,609	5,764
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	791	435
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(336)	(391)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	2,126	2,445
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(1,275)	992
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	1,071	422
Impairments of real estate assets	0	1,445
Gains on debt extinguishment	0	(826)
Net gains on disposition of property	(16,975)	(25,181)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(1,641)	(6,757)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	1,943	4,815
Settlement of cash flow hedges	7,216	7,322
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	4,778	916
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(1,487)	2,735
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(17,945)	(24,473)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	15,395	(308)
Net cash provided by operating activities	292,958	270,211
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(50,649)	0
Investments in development in-process	(130,241)	(121,367)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(89,875)	(78,691)
Investments in building improvements	(52,151)	(41,862)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	35,441	85,538
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	105	11,670
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	1,137	2,435
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	0	(10,063)
Changes in other investing activities	(4,671)	(5,605)
Net cash used in investing activities	(290,904)	(157,945)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(143,435)	(135,375)
Special dividend on Common Stock	0	(81,205)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(5)	(28)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,869)	(1,869)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,895)	(3,742)
Special distribution to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	0	(2,271)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(950)	(1,231)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	3,242	75,517
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	(95)	(1,244)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(1,671)	(3,966)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	336,400	492,300
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(397,400)	(420,300)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	345,863	456,001
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(211,345)	(507,114)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs	0	(57)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(2,948)	(3,688)
Net cash used in financing activities	(78,108)	(138,272)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	(76,054)	(26,006)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period	88,333	78,631
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period	12,279	52,625
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	5,324	4,864
Restricted cash at end of the period	6,955	47,761
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	56,771	50,025
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains on cash flow hedges	10,926	(31)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	1,231	408
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(10,396)	(6,327)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	63,820	41,860
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	26,660	28,343
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	2,733	4,324
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(9,607)	3,297
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	122,253	132,588
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	171,923	168,934
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(1,488)	(666)
Share-based compensation expense	6,609	5,764
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	791	435
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(336)	(391)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	2,126	2,445
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(1,275)	992
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	1,071	422
Impairments of real estate assets	0	1,445
Gains on debt extinguishment	0	(826)
Net gains on disposition of property	(16,975)	(25,181)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(1,641)	(6,757)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	1,943	4,815
Settlement of cash flow hedges	7,216	7,322
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	4,778	916
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(1,487)	2,735
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(17,945)	(24,473)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	15,395	(308)
Net cash provided by operating activities	292,958	270,211
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(50,649)	0
Investments in development in-process	(130,241)	(121,367)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(89,875)	(78,691)
Investments in building improvements	(52,151)	(41,862)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	35,441	85,538
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	105	11,670
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	1,137	2,435
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	0	(10,063)
Changes in other investing activities	(4,671)	(5,605)
Net cash used in investing activities	(290,904)	(157,945)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(146,763)	(138,577)
Special distribution on Common Units	0	(83,149)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(5)	(28)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(1,869)	(1,869)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(950)	(1,231)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	3,242	75,517
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	(95)	(1,244)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(1,671)	(3,966)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	336,400	492,300
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(397,400)	(420,300)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	345,863	456,001
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(211,345)	(507,114)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs	0	(57)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(3,515)	(4,555)
Net cash used in financing activities	(78,108)	(138,272)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	(76,054)	(26,006)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period	88,333	78,631
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period	12,279	52,625
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	5,324	4,864
Restricted cash at end of the period	6,955	47,761
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	56,771	50,025
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains on cash flow hedges	10,926	(31)
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(10,396)	(6,327)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	63,820	41,860
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	26,660	28,343
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	2,733	4,324
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	$ (11,562)	$ 2,649