Income Taxes (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items]
Minimum dividend required to maintain REIT status	$ 1.07	$ 1.01	$ 0.32
Tax basis of assets	2,900,000,000	2,700,000,000
Tax basis of liabilities	2,000,000,000	2,000,000,000
Cumulative taxable loss that taxable REIT subsidiary has operated	4,700,000
Deferred tax asset for cumulative tax loss carryforwards	2,100,000
Net deferred tax liabilities	2,200,000
Reserved amount of net deferred tax asset position of taxable REIT subsidiary		400,000
Deferred income tax expense	100,000
State income tax expense in rental property and other expenses recorded	100,000	100,000	100,000
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Income Tax Disclosure [Line Items]
Minimum dividend required to maintain REIT status	1.07	1.01	0.32
Tax basis of assets	2,900,000,000	2,700,000,000
Tax basis of liabilities	2,000,000,000	2,000,000,000
Cumulative taxable loss that taxable REIT subsidiary has operated	4,700,000
Deferred tax asset for cumulative tax loss carryforwards	2,100,000
Net deferred tax liabilities	2,200,000
Reserved amount of net deferred tax asset position of taxable REIT subsidiary		400,000
Deferred income tax expense	100,000
State income tax expense in rental property and other expenses recorded	$ 100,000	$ 100,000	$ 100,000