Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]	General Partner Common Units [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Limited Partner Common Units [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Additional Paid-In Capital [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Distributions in Excess of Net Income Available for Common Stockholders [Member]
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017			103,266,875
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 2,237,234	$ 2,208,342	$ 1,033	$ 28,892	$ 21,830	$ 2,161,258	$ 2,929,399	$ 7,838	$ 7,838	$ 17,416	$ 17,416	$ (747,344)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		1,865			19	1,846			0		0
Distributions on Common Units		(195,712)			(1,957)	(193,755)			0		0
Distributions on Preferred Units		(2,492)			(25)	(2,467)			0		0
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			33,652
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	1,865		$ 0	0			1,865	0		0		0
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			90,001
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	4,043		$ 0	0			4,043	0		0		0
Dividends on Common Stock	(191,302)		0	0			0	0		0		(191,302)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,492)		0	0			0	0		0		(2,492)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	33,427		0	0			33,427	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,047)	(1,047)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(1,047)	(1,047)	0
Issuances of restricted stock - Shares			172,440
Issuances of restricted stock	0		$ 0	0			0	0		0		0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(15)		$ 0	(15)			0	0		0		0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - Shares			(5,903)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	7,466	7,466	$ 3	0	75	7,391	7,463	0	0	0	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		37,292			372	36,920			0		0
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(4,588)		0	0			0	0		0		(4,588)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0	(12)	(1,195)	0	0	0	1,207	1,207	(1,207)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	177,630	177,630	0	0	1,776	175,854	0	0	0	0	0	177,630
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	2,075	2,075	$ 0	0	0	0	0	2,075	2,075	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	179,705	179,705
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018			103,557,065
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	2,264,296	2,235,419	$ 1,036	28,877	22,078	2,185,852	2,976,197	9,913	9,913	17,576	17,576	(769,303)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		298			3	295			0		0
Distributions on Common Units		(201,347)			(2,013)	(199,334)			0		0
Distributions on Preferred Units		(2,488)			(25)	(2,463)			0		0
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			(143)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	298		$ 0	0			298	0		0		0
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			15,000
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	663		$ 0	0			663	0		0		0
Dividends on Common Stock	(196,935)		0	0			0	0		0		(196,935)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,488)		0	0			0	0		0		(2,488)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(29,557)		0	0			(29,557)	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,767)	(1,767)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(1,767)	(1,767)	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	4,987	4,987	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4,987	4,987	0
Issuances of restricted stock - Shares			190,934
Issuances of restricted stock	0		$ 0	0			0	0		0		0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(18)		$ 0	(18)			0	0		0		0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - Shares			(6,810)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	7,180	7,180	$ 2	0	72	7,108	7,178	0	0	0	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(28,033)			(280)	(27,753)			0		0
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,551)		0	0			0	0		0		(3,551)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0	(12)	(1,202)	0	0	0	1,214	1,214	(1,214)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	141,683	141,683	0	0	1,417	140,266	0	0	0	0	0	141,683
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	(10,384)	(10,384)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	(10,384)	(10,384)	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	$ 131,299	131,299
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019	103,756,046		103,756,046
Balance at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 2,174,407	2,145,548	$ 1,038	28,859	21,240	2,102,769	2,954,779	(471)	(471)	22,010	22,010	(831,808)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		8,359			84	8,275			0		0
Distributions on Common Units		(204,002)			(2,040)	(201,962)			0		0
Distributions on Preferred Units		(2,488)			(25)	(2,463)			0		0
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			19,377
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	2,196		$ 0	0			2,196	0		0		0
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			3,570
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	145		$ 0	0			145	0		0		0
Dividends on Common Stock	(199,331)		0	0			0	0		0		(199,331)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,488)		0	0			0	0		0		(2,488)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	30,617		0	0			30,617	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,138)	(1,138)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(1,138)	(1,138)	0
Issuances of restricted stock - Shares			149,304
Issuances of restricted stock	0		$ 0	0			0	0		0		0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(33)		$ 0	(33)			0	0		0		0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - Shares			(6,751)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	6,210	6,210	$ 1	0	62	6,148	6,209	0	0	0	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		19,932			199	19,733			0		0
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(9,338)		0	0			0	0		0		(9,338)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0	(12)	(1,162)	0	0	0	1,174	1,174	(1,174)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	357,914	357,914	0	0	3,579	354,335	0	0	0	0	0	357,914
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	(991)	(991)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	(991)	(991)	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	$ 356,923	356,923
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020	103,921,546		103,921,546
Balance at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 2,358,170	$ 2,329,344	$ 1,039	$ 28,826	$ 23,087	$ 2,285,673	$ 2,993,946	$ (1,462)	$ (1,462)	$ 22,046	$ 22,046	$ (686,225)