Equity (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period	$ 305,846,000	$ 243,168,000	$ 23,270,000
Dividends, Common Stock [Abstract]
Ordinary income	$ 1.28	$ 1.28	$ 1.15
Capital gains	$ 0.26	$ 0.24	$ 0.00
Return of capital	$ 0.16	$ 0.18	$ 0.55
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
Number of shares outstanding, Preferred Stock (in shares)	29,077	29,077
Carrying value, Preferred Stock	29,077,000	29,077,000
Liquidation preference per share, Preferred Stock (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
Warrants [Abstract]
Warrants to acquire Common Stock, outstanding	15,000	15,000
Exercise price of outstanding warrants	32.50	32.50
Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]
Dividends, Preferred Stock [Abstract]
Ordinary income	$ 71.56	$ 72.46	$ 86.25
Capital gains	$ 14.69	$ 13.79	$ 0.00
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
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	$ 0.00	$ 1.05
Capital gains	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 0.00
Total taxability of dividends per share	$ 0.00	$ 0.00	$ 1.05
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	$ 0.00	$ 1.05
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | ATM Equity Offering [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of Common Stock sold during the period (in shares)	8,273,690	7,245,837
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period	295,100,000	236,400,000
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Class of Stock [Line Items]
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
Number of units outstanding, Preferred Units (in shares)	29,077	29,077
Carrying value, Preferred units	29,077,000	29,077,000
Liquidation preference per unit, Preferred Units (in dollars per share)	$ 1,000	$ 1,000
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
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