Consolidated Statements of Equity/Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]	General Partners' Common Units [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Limited Partners' 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, 2014			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, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings - 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 (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2015			94,118,006
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 Dec. 31, 2015	96,091,932		96,091,932
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 1,619,282	1,590,232	$ 961	29,050	15,759	1,560,309	2,598,242	(3,811)	(3,811)	17,975	17,975	(1,023,135)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		104,472			1,045	103,427			0		0
Distributions paid on Common Units		(84,387)			(844)	(83,543)			0		0
Distributions paid on Preferred Units		(1,253)			(13)	(1,240)			0		0
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings - Shares			2,324,850
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	104,472		$ 23	0			104,449	0		0		0
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			32,328
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	1,558		$ 0	0			1,558	0		0		0
Dividends on Common Stock	(82,272)		0	0			0	0		0		(82,272)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,253)		0	0			0	0		0		(1,253)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(15,042)		0	0			(15,042)	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(900)	(900)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(900)	(900)	0
Issuances of restricted stock - shares			130,752
Issuances of restricted stock	0		$ 0	0			0	0		0		0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(115)		$ 0	(115)			0	0		0		0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - shares			(8,888)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	4,550	4,550	$ 2	0	46	4,504	4,548	0	0	0	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(25,319)			(253)	(25,066)			0		0
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(13,950)		0	0			0	0		0		(13,950)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0	(6)	(616)	0	0	0	622	622	(622)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	480,263	480,263	0	0	4,803	475,460	0	0	0	0	0	480,263
Other comprehensive loss	(7,817)	(7,817)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	(7,817)	(7,817)	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	$ 472,446	472,446
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2016	98,570,974		98,570,974
Balance at Jun. 30, 2016	$ 2,088,776	$ 2,059,841	$ 986	$ 28,935	$ 20,537	$ 2,033,235	$ 2,693,755	$ (11,628)	$ (11,628)	$ 17,697	$ 17,697	$ (640,969)