Equity (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of trading days preceeding Redemption Notice Date (in days)	10 days
Dividends, Common Stock [Abstract]
Ordinary dividend	$ 1.64	$ 1.48	$ 1.50
Capital gains	0.13	0.31	0.32
Return of capital	0.13	0.06	0
Total taxability of dividends per share	$ 1.90	$ 1.85	1.82
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Number of shares outstanding, Preferred Stock (in shares)	29,000	29,000
Carrying value, Preferred Stock	$ 28,859	$ 28,877
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 dividend	79.90	71.22	71.00
Capital gains	6.35	15.03	15.25
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	96,200,000
Dividends declared per share of Common Stock (in dollars per share)	$ 1.90	1.85	1.76
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 Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Distributions declared per share of Common Unit (in dollars per share)	$ 1.90	$ 1.85	1.76
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Number of units outstanding, Preferred Units (in shares)	29,000	29,000
Carrying value, Preferred units	$ 28,859	$ 28,877
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