Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Assets:
Deferred leasing costs, accumulated amortization	$ 146,438	$ 146,125
Prepaid expenses and other assets, accumulated depreciation	$ 19,909	$ 20,017
Equity/Capital:
Series A Preferred Stock, dividend rate percentage (in hundredths)	8.625%	8.625%
Series A Preferred Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Series A Preferred Stock, authorized shares (in shares)	50,000,000	50,000,000
Series A Preferred Stock, liquidation preference (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Series A Preferred Stock, shares issued (in shares)	28,856	28,859
Series A Preferred Stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	28,856	28,859
Common Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common Stock, authorized shares (in shares)	200,000,000	200,000,000
Common Stock, shares issued (in shares)	103,885,918	103,756,046
Common Stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	103,885,918	103,756,046
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Assets:
Deferred leasing costs, accumulated amortization	$ 146,438	$ 146,125
Prepaid expenses and other assets, accumulated depreciation	$ 19,909	$ 20,017
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units: [Abstract]
Redeemable Common Units outstanding (in shares)	2,842,295	2,723,703
Series A Preferred Units, liquidation preference (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Series A Preferred Units, issued (in shares)	28,856	28,859
Series A Preferred Units, outstanding (in shares)	28,856	28,859
Common Units: [Abstract]
General partners' capital account, units outstanding (in shares)	1,063,194	1,060,709
Limited partners' capital account, units outstanding (in shares)	102,413,915	102,286,528