Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands, ft² in Millions	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) a ft² $ / shares shares	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) a ft² $ / shares shares	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate property (in sq feet) | ft²	31.4	31.4
Rentable square feet of commercial real estate properties under development (in sq feet) | ft²	0.9	0.9
Undeveloped land suitable for development (in acres) | a	500	500
Common Units redeemed for a like number of common shares of stock (in shares) | shares		26,820
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period		$ 43,216	$ 8,712
Joint venture partner's interest (in hundredths)	80.00%	80.00%
Gain recognized on partial sale	$ 2,200
Net real estate assets	3,513,419	$ 3,513,419		$ 3,452,006
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	43,979	43,979		50,685
Total Assets	4,039,642	4,039,642		3,999,123
Financing obligation	8,962	8,962		8,962
Distributions in excess of net income available for common stockholders	(992,425)	(992,425)		(957,370)
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity	$ 4,039,642	$ 4,039,642		$ 3,999,123
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Common Units of partnership owned by the Company (in shares) | shares	93,700,000	93,700,000
Percentage of ownership of Common Units (in hundredths)	97.00%	97.00%		96.90%
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Previously Reported Disclosure [Member]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Net real estate assets				$ 3,481,406
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates				27,071
Total Assets				4,004,909
Financing obligation				23,519
Distributions in excess of net income available for common stockholders				(966,141)
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity				4,004,909
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | Revised Disclosure [Member]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Net real estate assets				3,452,006
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates				50,685
Total Assets				3,999,123
Financing obligation				8,962
Distributions in excess of net income available for common stockholders				(957,370)
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity				3,999,123
Highwoods Properties, Inc. [Member] | ATM Equity Offering [Member]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Number of Common Stock sold during the period (in shares) | shares	58,533	972,659
Average price of Common Stock sold during the period (in dollars per share) | $ / shares	$ 41.72	$ 45.12
Net proceeds of Common Stock sold during the period	$ 2,400	$ 43,200
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Description of Business and Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Common Units of partnership not owned by the Company (in shares) | shares	2,900,000	2,900,000
Net real estate assets	$ 3,513,419	$ 3,513,419		3,452,006
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	43,979	43,979		50,685
Total Assets	4,039,642	4,039,642		3,999,229
Financing obligation	8,962	8,962		8,962
Total Liabilities, Noncontrolling Interests in the Operating Partnership and Equity	$ 4,039,642	$ 4,039,642		$ 3,999,229