Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 79,337	$ 122,253
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	189,514	171,923
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	197	(1,488)
Share-based compensation expense	6,180	6,609
Credit losses on operating lease receivables	8,711	791
Write-off of mortgages and notes receivable	4,087	0
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(151)	(336)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	2,194	2,126
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(1,158)	(1,275)
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	1,193	1,071
Impairments of real estate assets	5,849	0
Losses on debt extinguishment	640	0
Net gains on disposition of property	(10,218)	(16,975)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(2,369)	(1,641)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	730	1,943
Settlement of cash flow hedges	(11,749)	7,216
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(3,611)	4,778
Prepaid expenses and other assets	458	(1,487)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(20,955)	(17,945)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	37,382	15,395
Net cash provided by operating activities	286,261	292,958
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(19,365)	(50,649)
Investments in development in-process	(77,854)	(130,241)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(105,879)	(89,875)
Investments in building improvements	(36,383)	(52,151)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	45,250	35,441
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	29	105
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	221	1,137
Payments of earnest money deposits	(50,000)	0
Changes in other investing activities	(6,279)	(4,671)
Net cash used in investing activities	(250,260)	(290,904)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(147,662)	(143,435)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(18)	(5)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,866)	(1,869)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,894)	(3,895)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,227)	(950)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	1,541	3,242
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	0	(95)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(1,784)	(1,671)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	278,600	336,400
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(460,600)	(397,400)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	747,990	345,863
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(326,400)	(211,345)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(7,800)	(2,948)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	76,880	(78,108)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	112,881	(76,054)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period	10,143	88,333
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period	123,024	12,279
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	116,724	5,324
Restricted cash at end of the period	6,300	6,955
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	55,608	56,771
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(9,282)	10,926
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	572	1,231
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(7,407)	(10,396)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	59,428	63,820
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	34,203	26,660
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	1,791	2,733
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	19,025	(9,607)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	4,987	0
Initial recognition of lease liabilities related to right of use assets	35,349	0
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	79,337	122,253
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	189,514	171,923
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	197	(1,488)
Share-based compensation expense	6,180	6,609
Credit losses on operating lease receivables	8,711	791
Write-off of mortgages and notes receivable	4,087	0
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(151)	(336)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	2,194	2,126
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(1,158)	(1,275)
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	1,193	1,071
Impairments of real estate assets	5,849	0
Losses on debt extinguishment	640	0
Net gains on disposition of property	(10,218)	(16,975)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(2,369)	(1,641)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	730	1,943
Settlement of cash flow hedges	(11,749)	7,216
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(3,611)	4,778
Prepaid expenses and other assets	458	(1,487)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(20,955)	(17,945)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	37,382	15,395
Net cash provided by operating activities	286,261	292,958
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(19,365)	(50,649)
Investments in development in-process	(77,854)	(130,241)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(105,879)	(89,875)
Investments in building improvements	(36,383)	(52,151)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	45,250	35,441
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	29	105
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	221	1,137
Payments of earnest money deposits	(50,000)	0
Changes in other investing activities	(6,279)	(4,671)
Net cash used in investing activities	(250,260)	(290,904)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(150,973)	(146,763)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(18)	(5)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(1,866)	(1,869)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,227)	(950)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	1,541	3,242
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	0	(95)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(1,784)	(1,671)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	278,600	336,400
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(460,600)	(397,400)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	747,990	345,863
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(326,400)	(211,345)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(8,383)	(3,515)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	76,880	(78,108)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	112,881	(76,054)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period	10,143	88,333
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period	123,024	12,279
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	116,724	5,324
Restricted cash at end of the period	6,300	6,955
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	55,608	56,771
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(9,282)	10,926
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(7,407)	(10,396)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	59,428	63,820
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	34,203	26,660
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	1,791	2,733
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	16,533	(11,562)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	4,987	0
Initial recognition of lease liabilities related to right of use assets	$ 35,349	$ 0