Consolidated Statements of Equity/Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]	General Partners' Common Units [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Limited Partners' 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, 2019			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		7,564			76	7,488
Distributions on Common Units		(101,931)			(1,019)	(100,912)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(1,244)			(12)	(1,232)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings			(2,248)
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period	1,401		$ 0				1,401
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	0
Dividends on Common Stock	(99,596)											(99,596)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,244)											(1,244)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	36,525						36,525
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(829)	(829)								(829)	(829)
Issuances of restricted stock - shares			149,304
Issuances of restricted stock	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(16)			(16)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - shares			(6,166)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	3,738	3,738	$ 1		37	3,701	3,737
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		26,720			267	26,453
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(5,977)											(5,977)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(6)	(568)				574	574	(574)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	230,296	230,296			2,303	227,993						230,296
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	(1,233)	(1,233)						(1,233)	(1,233)
Total comprehensive income	229,063	229,063
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020			103,896,936
Balance at Jun. 30, 2020	2,337,472	2,308,629	$ 1,039	28,843	22,886	2,265,692	2,996,442	(1,704)	(1,704)	21,755	21,755	(708,903)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019			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)
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)
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020			103,885,918
Balance at Mar. 31, 2020	2,354,860	2,326,004	$ 1,039	28,856	23,055	2,282,528	3,000,614	(1,676)	(1,676)	22,097	22,097	(696,070)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		362			4	358
Distributions on Common Units		(51,028)			(510)	(50,518)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(622)			(6)	(616)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings			11,018
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period	362						362
Dividends on Common Stock	(49,861)											(49,861)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(622)											(622)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(5,776)						(5,776)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(631)	(631)								(631)	(631)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(13)			(13)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - shares			0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	1,242	1,242	$ 0		12	1,230	1,242
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(5,626)			(56)	(5,570)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(1,017)											(1,017)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(3)	(286)				289	289	(289)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	38,956	38,956			390	38,566						38,956
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	(28)	(28)						(28)	(28)
Total comprehensive income	38,928	38,928
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020			103,896,936
Balance at Jun. 30, 2020	$ 2,337,472	2,308,629	$ 1,039	28,843	22,886	2,265,692	2,996,442	(1,704)	(1,704)	21,755	21,755	(708,903)
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)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		5,897			59	5,838
Distributions on Common Units		(102,112)			(1,021)	(101,091)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(1,243)			(12)	(1,231)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings			109,130
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period	5,897		$ 1				5,896
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			1,000
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	44						44
Dividends on Common Stock	(99,778)											(99,778)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,243)											(1,243)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(15,334)						(15,334)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(782)	(782)								(782)	(782)
Issuances of restricted stock - shares			184,584
Issuances of restricted stock	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(5)			(5)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - shares			(6,747)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	4,855	4,855	$ 2		49	4,806	4,853
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(16,073)			(161)	(15,912)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,117)											(3,117)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(6)	(569)				575	575	(575)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	118,699	118,699			1,187	117,512						118,699
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	237	237						237	237
Total comprehensive income	$ 118,936	118,936
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2021	104,209,513		104,209,513
Balance at Jun. 30, 2021	$ 2,367,643	2,338,822	$ 1,042	28,821	23,182	2,295,026	2,989,405	(1,225)	(1,225)	21,839	21,839	(672,239)
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2021			104,055,152
Balance at Mar. 31, 2021	2,354,921	2,326,095	$ 1,041	28,826	23,059	2,282,831	2,986,462	(1,340)	(1,340)	21,545	21,545	(681,613)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		7,095			71	7,024
Distributions on Common Units		(51,098)			(511)	(50,587)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(621)			(6)	(615)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings			158,188
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period	7,095		$ 1				7,094
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			1,000
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	44						44
Dividends on Common Stock	(49,931)											(49,931)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(621)											(621)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(6,068)						(6,068)
Issuances of restricted stock - shares			1,484
Issuances of restricted stock	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(5)			(5)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - shares			(6,311)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	1,873	1,873	$ 0		19	1,854	1,873
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(6,481)			(65)	(6,416)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(1,624)											(1,624)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(3)	(291)				294	294	(294)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	61,844	61,844			618	61,226						61,844
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	115	115						115	115
Total comprehensive income	$ 61,959	61,959
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2021	104,209,513		104,209,513
Balance at Jun. 30, 2021	$ 2,367,643	$ 2,338,822	$ 1,042	$ 28,821	$ 23,182	$ 2,295,026	$ 2,989,405	$ (1,225)	$ (1,225)	$ 21,839	$ 21,839	$ (672,239)