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, 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		8,359			84	8,275
Distributions on Common Units		(204,002)			(2,040)	(201,962)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(2,488)			(25)	(2,463)
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			19,377
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	2,196						2,196
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			3,570
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	145						145
Dividends on Common Stock	(199,331)											(199,331)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,488)											(2,488)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	30,617						30,617
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,138)	(1,138)								(1,138)	(1,138)
Issuances of restricted stock - Shares			149,304
Issuances of restricted stock	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(33)			(33)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - Shares			(6,751)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	6,210	6,210	$ 1		62	6,148	6,209
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		19,932			199	19,733
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(9,338)											(9,338)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(12)	(1,162)				1,174	1,174	(1,174)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	357,914	357,914			3,579	354,335						357,914
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	(991)	(991)						(991)	(991)
Total comprehensive income	356,923	356,923
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020			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		21,664			217	21,447
Distributions on Common Units		(208,896)			(2,089)	(206,807)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(2,486)			(25)	(2,461)
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			459,477
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	21,664		$ 8				21,656
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			333,920
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	15,076						15,076
Dividends on Common Stock	(204,182)											(204,182)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,486)											(2,486)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(11,461)						(11,461)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,342)	(1,342)								(1,342)	(1,342)
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	8,646	8,646	$ 2		86	8,560	8,644	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		8				8
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(8,321)											(8,321)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(17)	(1,695)				1,712	1,712	(1,712)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	323,310	323,310			3,233	320,077						323,310
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	489	489						489	489
Total comprehensive income	$ 323,799	323,799
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021	104,892,780		104,892,780
Balance at Dec. 31, 2021	$ 2,499,558	2,470,737	$ 1,049	28,821	24,492	2,424,802	3,027,861	(973)	(973)	22,416	22,416	(579,616)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		5,167			52	5,115
Redemptions of Common Units		(3,763)			(38)	(3,725)
Distributions on Common Units		(214,231)			(2,142)	(212,089)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(2,486)			(25)	(2,461)
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			106,141
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	5,167		$ 1				5,166
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			30,909
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	1,251						1,251
Dividends on Common Stock	(210,183)											(210,183)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,486)											(2,486)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	39,502						39,502
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,411)	(1,411)								(1,411)	(1,411)
Issuances of restricted stock - Shares			181,807
Issuances of restricted stock	0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - Shares			(779)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	7,552	7,552	$ 2		76	7,476	7,550
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		44,894			449	44,445
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,670)											(3,670)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(12)	(1,218)				1,230	1,230	(1,230)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	163,958	163,958			1,640	162,318						163,958
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	(238)	(238)						(238)	(238)
Total comprehensive income	$ 163,720	163,720
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2022	105,210,858		105,210,858
Balance at Dec. 31, 2022	$ 2,499,000	$ 2,470,179	$ 1,052	$ 28,821	$ 24,492	$ 2,424,663	$ 3,081,330	$ (1,211)	$ (1,211)	$ 22,235	$ 22,235	$ (633,227)