Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013 executives acre property sqft	Dec. 31, 2012
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
In-service office, industrial and retail properties (in units)	303
Square footage of commercial property (in sq feet)	30,100,000
Undeveloped land suitable for future development (in acres)	649
Undeveloped land considered core holdings (in acres)	566
Office properties under/planned for development (in units)	2
Percentage of equity interest in joint ventures, maximum (in hundredths)	50.00%
Number of real estate properties not wholly owned (in units)	31
Area of undeveloped land not wholly owned (in acres)	11
Percentage of equity interest in joint venture not owned by Operating Partership	12.50%
Square footage of real estate property not owned by Operating Partnership (in sq feet)	261,000
Common Units of partnership owned (in shares)	81,700,000
Percentage of ownership of Common Units	95.70%	95.60%
Number of directors of the Company who are also limited partners	2
Common Units of partnership not owned by the Company (in shares)	3,700,000
Number of common units required to convert to one share of common stock (in shares)	1
Common Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Number of trading days preceding Redemption Notice Date (in days)	10 days
Common Units redeemed for a like number of common shares of stock (in shares)	10,071
Number of Common Stock sold at the market during period (in shares)	1,299,791
Average price of Common Stock sold at the market during period (in dollars per share)	$ 35.95
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold at the market during period	$ 46.0
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
In-service office, industrial and retail properties (in units)	303
Square footage of commercial property (in sq feet)	30,100,000
Undeveloped land suitable for future development (in acres)	649
Undeveloped land considered core holdings (in acres)	566
Office properties under/planned for development (in units)	2
Percentage of equity interest in joint ventures, maximum (in hundredths)	50.00%
Number of real estate properties not wholly owned (in units)	31
Area of undeveloped land not wholly owned (in acres)	11
Percentage of equity interest in joint venture not owned by Operating Partership	12.50%
Square footage of real estate property not owned by Operating Partnership (in sq feet)	261,000
Common Units of partnership owned (in shares)	81,700,000
Percentage of ownership of Common Units	95.70%	95.60%
Number of directors of the Company who are also limited partners	2
Common Units of partnership not owned by the Company (in shares)	3,700,000
Number of common units required to convert to one share of common stock (in shares)	1
Common Stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01
Number of trading days preceding Redemption Notice Date (in days)	10 days
Common Units redeemed for a like number of common shares of stock (in shares)	10,071
Number of Common Stock sold at the market during period (in shares)	1,299,791
Average price of Common Stock sold at the market during period (in dollars per share)	$ 35.95
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold at the market during period	$ 46.0