Equity (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period		$ 1,865	$ 70,977	$ 256,380
Number of trading days preceeding Redemption Notice Date (in days)		10 days
Future distribution of Common Stock (in dollars per share)		$ 0.06
Dividends, Common Stock [Abstract]
Ordinary income		1.48	$ 1.50	$ 1.15
Capital gains		0.31	0.32	1.29
Return of capital		0.06	0.00	0.00
Total taxability of dividends per share		$ 1.85	$ 1.82	2.44
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Number of shares outstanding, Preferred Stock (in shares)		28,877	28,892
Carrying value, Preferred Stock		$ 28,877	$ 28,892
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 (in dollars per share)		$ 32.50	$ 32.50
Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Ordinary income		71.22	71.00	40.65
Capital gains		15.03	15.25	45.60
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]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Possible future share issuance authorized under charter		96,400,000
Dividends declared per share of Common Stock (in dollars per share)		$ 1.85	$ 1.76	1.70
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | ATM Equity Offering [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of Common Stock sold during the period (in shares)			1,363,919
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period			$ 68,300
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Total taxability of dividends per share		86.25	$ 86.25	86.25
Annual dividends payable per share, Preferred Stock/Unit (in dollars per share)		86.25	86.25	86.25
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Special Dividend [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Dividends declared per share of Common Stock (in dollars per share)	$ 0.80			2.50
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Distributions declared per share of Common Unit (in dollars per share)		$ 1.85	$ 1.76	1.70
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Number of units outstanding, Preferred Units (in shares)		28,877	28,892
Carrying value, Preferred units		$ 28,877	$ 28,892
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	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	86.25
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Special Dividend [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Distributions declared per share of Common Unit (in dollars per share)	$ 0.80			$ 2.50