Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Assets:
Deferred leasing costs, accumulated amortization	$ 139,175	$ 151,698
Prepaid Expenses And Other Assets Accumulated Depreciation	$ 20,891	$ 21,154
Equity/Capital:
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, dividend rate percentage (in hundredths)	8.625%	8.625%
Series A Preferred Stock, liquidation preference (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Series A Preferred Stock, shares issued (in shares)	28,821	28,826
Series A Preferred Stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	28,821	28,826
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)	104,383,062	103,921,546
Common Stock, shares outstanding (in shares)	104,383,062	103,921,546
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Assets:
Deferred leasing costs, accumulated amortization	$ 139,175	$ 151,698
Prepaid Expenses And Other Assets Accumulated Depreciation	$ 20,891	$ 21,154
Redeemable Operating Partnership Units: [Abstract]
Redeemable Common Units outstanding (in shares)	2,832,487	2,838,725
Series A Preferred Units, liquidation preference (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Series A Preferred Units, issued (in shares)	28,821	28,826
Series A Preferred Units, outstanding (in shares)	28,821	28,826
Common Units: [Abstract]
General partners' capital account, units outstanding (in shares)	1,068,067	1,063,515
Limited partners' capital account, units outstanding (in shares)	102,906,186	102,449,222