Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 357,914	$ 141,683	$ 177,630
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	241,585	254,504	229,955
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(2,537)	(505)	(1,943)
Share-based compensation expense	6,210	7,180	7,466
Credit losses on operating lease receivables	5,458	9,861	1,212
Write-off of mortgages and notes receivable	0	4,087	0
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(118)	(184)	(451)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	3,092	2,970	2,857
Amortization of cash flow hedges	247	(1,250)	(2,086)
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	1,681	1,619	1,449
Impairments of real estate assets	1,778	5,849	423
Losses on debt extinguishment	3,674	640	0
Net gains on disposition of property	(215,897)	(39,517)	(37,638)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(4,005)	(3,276)	(2,238)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	1,533	1,149	2,104
Settlement of cash flow hedges	0	(11,749)	7,216
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	437	(3,271)	1,759
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(365)	1,610	1,217
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(36,576)	(29,828)	(23,203)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(5,951)	24,225	(7,101)
Net cash provided by operating activities	358,160	365,797	358,628
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(2,363)	(424,222)	(50,649)
Investments in development in-process	(160,612)	(116,111)	(150,310)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(137,997)	(138,754)	(121,534)
Investments in building improvements	(62,154)	(53,826)	(68,256)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	484,311	133,326	88,813
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	72	7,833	105
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	(32)	0	0
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	310	295	1,312
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	0	(9,977)	0
Changes in other investing activities	(10,853)	(5,971)	(6,230)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities	110,682	(607,407)	(306,749)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(199,331)	(196,935)	(191,302)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(33)	(18)	(15)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,488)	(2,488)	(2,492)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(5,456)	(5,189)	(5,167)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,138)	(1,767)	(1,047)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	3,571	2,086	3,637
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	(215)	0	(95)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(1,160)	(1,788)	(1,677)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	129,000	604,600	438,900
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(350,000)	(565,600)	(501,900)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	398,364	747,990	345,863
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(251,952)	(326,876)	(211,803)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs	(3,193)	0	0
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(10,309)	(7,806)	(2,971)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	(294,340)	246,209	(130,069)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	174,502	4,599	(78,190)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period	14,742	10,143	88,333
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period	189,244	14,742	10,143
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	109,322	9,505	3,769
Restricted cash at end of the period	79,922	5,237	6,374
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	72,350	72,014	67,235
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains on cash flow hedges	(1,238)	(9,134)	4,161
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	145	663	4,043
Changes in accrued capital expenditures (1)	(1,913)	5,625	(165)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	46,656	85,727	76,558
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	25,618	45,042	34,191
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	1,438	1,791	2,733
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(30,617)	29,557	(33,427)
Issuances of Common Units to acquire real estate assets	6,163	0	0
Contingent consideration in connection with the acquisition of land	0	1,200	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	4,987	0
Initial recognition of lease liabilities related to right of use assets	0	35,349	0
Accrued capital expenditures included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	66,000	67,900	62,200
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	357,914	141,683	177,630
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	241,585	254,504	229,955
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(2,537)	(505)	(1,943)
Share-based compensation expense	6,210	7,180	7,466
Credit losses on operating lease receivables	5,458	9,861	1,212
Write-off of mortgages and notes receivable	0	4,087	0
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(118)	(184)	(451)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	3,092	2,970	2,857
Amortization of cash flow hedges	247	(1,250)	(2,086)
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	1,681	1,619	1,449
Impairments of real estate assets	1,778	5,849	423
Losses on debt extinguishment	3,674	640	0
Net gains on disposition of property	(215,897)	(39,517)	(37,638)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(4,005)	(3,276)	(2,238)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	1,533	1,149	2,104
Settlement of cash flow hedges	0	(11,749)	7,216
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	437	(3,271)	1,759
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(365)	1,610	1,217
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(36,576)	(29,828)	(23,203)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(5,951)	24,225	(7,101)
Net cash provided by operating activities	358,160	365,797	358,628
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(2,363)	(424,222)	(50,649)
Investments in development in-process	(160,612)	(116,111)	(150,310)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(137,997)	(138,754)	(121,534)
Investments in building improvements	(62,154)	(53,826)	(68,256)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	484,311	133,326	88,813
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	72	7,833	105
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable	(32)	0	0
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	310	295	1,312
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	0	(9,977)	0
Changes in other investing activities	(10,853)	(5,971)	(6,230)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities	110,682	(607,407)	(306,749)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(204,002)	(201,347)	(195,712)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(33)	(18)	(15)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(2,488)	(2,488)	(2,492)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,138)	(1,767)	(1,047)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	3,571	2,086	3,637
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	(215)	0	(95)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(1,160)	(1,788)	(1,677)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	129,000	604,600	438,900
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(350,000)	(565,600)	(501,900)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	398,364	747,990	345,863
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(251,952)	(326,876)	(211,803)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs	(3,193)	0	0
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(11,094)	(8,583)	(3,728)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	(294,340)	246,209	(130,069)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	174,502	4,599	(78,190)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period	14,742	10,143	88,333
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period	189,244	14,742	10,143
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	109,322	9,505	3,769
Restricted cash at end of the period	79,922	5,237	6,374
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	72,350	72,014	67,235
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains on cash flow hedges	(1,238)	(9,134)	4,161
Changes in accrued capital expenditures (1)	(1,913)	5,625	(165)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	46,656	85,727	76,558
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	25,618	45,042	34,191
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	1,438	1,791	2,733
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	(26,880)	27,256	(38,049)
Issuances of Common Units to acquire real estate assets	6,163	0	0
Contingent consideration in connection with the acquisition of land	0	1,200	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	4,987	0
Initial recognition of lease liabilities related to right of use assets	0	35,349	0
Accrued capital expenditures included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	$ 66,000	$ 67,900	$ 62,200