Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]	General Partner Common Units [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Limited Partner Common Units [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Distributions in Excess of Net Income Available for Common Stockholders [Member]
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013			89,920,915
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 1,507,467	$ 1,478,562	$ 899	$ 29,077	$ 14,596	$ 1,445,181	$ 2,370,368	$ (2,611)	$ (2,611)	$ 21,396	$ 21,396	$ (911,662)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		8,712			87	8,625			0		0
Redemptions of Common Units		(93)			(1)	(92)			0		0
Distributions paid on Common Units		(78,754)			(788)	(77,966)			0		0
Distributions paid on Preferred Units		(1,254)			(13)	(1,241)			0		0
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			281,992
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	8,712		$ 3	0			8,709	0		0		0
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			4,417
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	162		$ 0	0			162	0		0		0
Dividends on Common Stock	(76,605)		0	0			0	0		0		(76,605)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,254)		0	0			0	0		0		(1,254)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(18,337)		0	0			(18,337)	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(940)	(940)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(940)	(940)	0
Issuances of restricted stock - shares			154,383
Issuances of restricted stock	0		$ 0	0			0	0		0		0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	5,381	5,381	2	0	54	5,327	5,379	0	0	0	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(17,175)			(171)	(17,004)			0		0
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(1,140)		0	0			0	0		0		(1,140)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0	(9)	(852)	0	0	0	861	861	(861)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	38,088	38,088	0	0	381	37,707	0	0	0	0	0	38,088
Other comprehensive loss	(2,108)	(2,108)	0	0	0	0	0	(2,108)	(2,108)	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	35,980	35,980
Balance at Jun. 30, 2014	$ 1,459,426	1,430,419	$ 904	29,077	14,136	1,399,685	2,366,281	(4,719)	(4,719)	21,317	21,317	(953,434)
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2014			90,361,707
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	92,907,310		92,907,310
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 1,551,091	1,522,223	$ 929	29,060	15,078	1,492,948	2,464,275	(3,912)	(3,912)	18,109	18,109	(957,370)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		43,216			432	42,784			0		0
Distributions paid on Common Units		(81,663)			(817)	(80,846)			0		0
Distributions paid on Preferred Units		(1,253)			(13)	(1,240)			0		0
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			1,055,491
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	43,216		$ 11	0			43,205	0		0		0
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			26,820
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	1,206		$ 0	0			1,206	0		0		0
Dividends on Common Stock	(79,526)		0	0			0	0		0		(79,526)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,253)		0	0			0	0		0		(1,253)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	11,475		0	0			11,475	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(751)	(751)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(751)	(751)	0
Issuances of restricted stock - shares			128,951
Issuances of restricted stock	0		$ 0	0			0	0		0		0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(10)		$ 0	(10)			0	0		0		0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - shares			(566)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	5,067	5,067	$ 1	0	51	5,016	5,066	0	0	0	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		13,248			133	13,115			0		0
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(1,378)		0	0			0	0		0		(1,378)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0	(6)	(618)	0	0	0	624	624	(624)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	47,726	47,726	0	0	477	47,249	0	0	0	0	0	47,726
Other comprehensive loss	(602)	(602)	0	0	0	0	0	(602)	(602)	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	47,124	47,124
Balance at Jun. 30, 2015	$ 1,576,261	$ 1,547,211	$ 941	$ 29,050	$ 15,335	$ 1,518,408	$ 2,525,227	$ (4,514)	$ (4,514)	$ 17,982	$ 17,982	$ (992,425)
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2015	94,118,006		94,118,006