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		93,216			932	92,284			0		0
Distributions paid on Common Units		(122,929)			(1,230)	(121,699)			0		0
Distributions paid on Preferred Units		(1,879)			(19)	(1,860)			0		0
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings - Shares			2,268,380
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	93,216		$ 23	0			93,193	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	(119,729)		0	0			0	0		0		(119,729)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,879)		0	0			0	0		0		(1,879)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	14,649		0	0			14,649	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,070)	(1,070)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(1,070)	(1,070)	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			(1,703)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	5,996	5,996	$ 1	0	60	5,936	5,995	0	0	0	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		16,567			166	16,401			0		0
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(2,296)		0	0			0	0		0		(2,296)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0	(9)	(939)	0	0	0	948	948	(948)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	79,343	79,343	0	0	793	78,550	0	0	0	0	0	79,343
Other comprehensive loss	(2,698)	(2,698)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	(2,698)	(2,698)	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	76,645	76,645
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2015			95,329,758
Balance at Sep. 30, 2015	$ 1,617,819	1,588,769	$ 953	29,050	15,771	1,561,621	2,579,318	(6,610)	(6,610)	17,987	17,987	(1,002,879)
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		187,214			1,872	185,342			0		0
Distributions paid on Common Units		(127,391)			(1,274)	(126,117)			0		0
Distributions paid on Preferred Units		(1,877)			(19)	(1,858)			0		0
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings - Shares			3,930,262
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	187,214		$ 39	0			187,175	0		0		0
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			60,048
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	3,006		$ 0	0			3,006	0		0		0
Dividends on Common Stock	(124,228)		0	0			0	0		0		(124,228)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,877)		0	0			0	0		0		(1,877)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(13,390)		0	0			(13,390)	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(966)	(966)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(966)	(966)	0
Issuances of restricted stock - shares			130,752
Issuances of restricted stock	0		$ 0	0			0	0		0		0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(130)		$ 0	(130)			0	0		0		0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - shares			(8,888)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	5,412	5,412	$ 2	0	54	5,358	5,410	0	0	0	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(22,097)			(221)	(21,876)			0		0
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(14,876)		0	0			0	0		0		(14,876)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0	(9)	(932)	0	0	0	941	941	(941)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	514,103	514,103	0	0	5,141	508,962	0	0	0	0	0	514,103
Other comprehensive loss	(5,449)	(5,449)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	(5,449)	(5,449)	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	$ 508,654	508,654
Balance (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2016	100,204,106		100,204,106
Balance at Sep. 30, 2016	$ 2,168,101	$ 2,139,181	$ 1,002	$ 28,920	$ 21,303	$ 2,109,188	$ 2,780,443	$ (9,260)	$ (9,260)	$ 17,950	$ 17,950	$ (650,954)