Equity (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of Common Stock sold at the market (in shares)					7,245,837	378,200
Average price of Common Stock sold at the market					$ 33.12	$ 35.09
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold at the market					$ 236,400,000	$ 13,100,000
Dividends, Common Stock [Abstract]
Ordinary income					$ 1.28	$ 1.15	$ 0.41
Capital gains					$ 0.24	$ 0.00	$ 0.44
Return of capital					$ 0.18	$ 0.55	$ 0.85
Total taxability of dividends per share					$ 1.70	$ 1.70	$ 1.70
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Excess of Preferred Stock redemption/repurchase cost over carrying value	0	0	1,895,000	0	0	1,895,000	0
Number of shares outstanding, Preferred Stock (in shares)	29,077				29,077	29,077
Carrying value, Preferred Stock	29,077,000				29,077,000	29,077,000
Liquidation preference per share, Preferred Stock (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000				$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Warrants [Abstract]
Warrants to acquire Common Stock, outstanding	15,000				15,000	15,000
Exercise price of outstanding warrants	32.50				32.50	32.50
Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Ordinary income					$ 72.46	$ 86.25	$ 41.80
Capital gains					$ 13.79	$ 0.00	$ 44.45
Total taxability of dividends per share					$ 86.25	$ 86.25	$ 86.25
Issuance date, Preferred Stock					Feb. 12, 1997	Feb. 12, 1997
Liquidation preference per share, Preferred Stock (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000				$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Optional redemption date, Preferred Stock					Feb. 12, 2027	Feb. 12, 2027
Annual dividends payable per share, Preferred Stock (in dollars per share)					$ 86.25	$ 86.25	$ 86.25
Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Ordinary income					$ 0.00	$ 1.05	$ 0.97
Capital gains					$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 1.03
Total taxability of dividends per share					$ 0.00	$ 1.05	$ 2.00
Number of Preferred Stock redeemed during period (in shares)						2,100,000
Redemption price of Preferred Stock redeemed during period						52,500,000
Excess of Preferred Stock redemption/repurchase cost over carrying value						1,900,000
Annual dividends payable per share, Preferred Stock (in dollars per share)					$ 0.00	$ 1.05	$ 2.00
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of Common Stock sold at the market (in shares)					7,245,837	378,200
Average price of Common Stock sold at the market					$ 33.12	$ 35.09
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold at the market					236,400,000	13,100,000
Distributions paid per share of Common Unit (in dollars per share)					$ 1.70	$ 1.70	$ 1.70
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Excess of Preferred Unit redemption/repurchase cost over carrying value	0	0	(1,895,000)	0	0	1,895,000	0
Number of units outstanding, Preferred Units (in shares)	29,077				29,077	29,077
Series A Preferred Units (liquidation preference $1,000 per unit), 29,077 units issued and outstanding, respectively	29,077,000				29,077,000	29,077,000
Carrying value, Preferred Units	29,077				29,077	29,077
Liquidation preference per unit, Preferred Units (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000				$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Warrants [Abstract]
Warrants to acquire Common Stock, outstanding	15,000				15,000	15,000
Exercise price of outstanding warrants	32.50				32.50	32.50
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Total taxability of dividends per share					$ 86.25	$ 86.25
Issuance date, Preferred Stock					Feb. 12, 1997	Feb. 12, 1997
Liquidation preference per unit, Preferred Units (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000				$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Optional redemption date, Preferred Stock					Feb. 12, 2027	Feb. 12, 2027
Annual dividends payable per share, Preferred Stock (in dollars per share)					$ 86.25	$ 86.25
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Series B Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Number of Preferred Stock redeemed during period (in shares)						2,100,000
Redemption price of Preferred Stock redeemed during period						52,500,000
Excess of Preferred Unit redemption/repurchase cost over carrying value						$ 1,900,000