Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 34,246	$ 33,485
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	57,568	56,145
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(509)	(10)
Share-based compensation expense	4,295	3,783
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	227	61
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(112)	(132)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	686	840
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(106)	484
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	317	(30)
Net gains on disposition of property	0	(5,332)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(522)	(955)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	881	2,431
Settlement of cash flow hedges	7,216	7,322
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	3,288	3,922
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(7,692)	(5,959)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(6,619)	(6,185)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(14,636)	(20,951)
Net cash provided by operating activities	78,528	68,919
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(50,649)	0
Investments in development in-process	(42,438)	(59,408)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(33,071)	(24,649)
Investments in building improvements	(19,293)	(17,194)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	0	11,532
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	105	6,512
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	379	1,178
Changes in other investing activities	(586)	(1,596)
Net cash used in investing activities	(145,553)	(83,625)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(47,747)	(44,917)
Special dividend on Common Stock	0	(81,205)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(5)	(15)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(623)	(623)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(1,300)	(1,249)
Special distribution to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	0	(2,271)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(238)	(466)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	561	13,191
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	(46)	(250)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(1,544)	(3,807)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	32,000	200,300
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(277,000)	(69,300)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	345,863	346,001
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(444)	(380,261)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(2,903)	(4,894)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	46,574	(29,766)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	(20,451)	(44,472)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period	88,333	78,631
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period	67,882	34,159
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	31,034	4,918
Restricted cash at end of the period	36,848	29,241
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	15,986	18,909
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains on cash flow hedges	7,877	452
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	902	102
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(7,333)	(6,741)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	10,511	10,649
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	7,112	10,091
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	0	3,161
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(19,582)	(4,972)
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	34,246	33,485
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	57,568	56,145
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(509)	(10)
Share-based compensation expense	4,295	3,783
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	227	61
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(112)	(132)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	686	840
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(106)	484
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	317	(30)
Net gains on disposition of property	0	(5,332)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(522)	(955)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	881	2,431
Settlement of cash flow hedges	7,216	7,322
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	3,288	3,922
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(7,692)	(5,959)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(6,619)	(6,185)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(14,636)	(20,951)
Net cash provided by operating activities	78,528	68,919
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(50,649)	0
Investments in development in-process	(42,438)	(59,408)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(33,071)	(24,649)
Investments in building improvements	(19,293)	(17,194)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	0	11,532
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	105	6,512
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	379	1,178
Changes in other investing activities	(586)	(1,596)
Net cash used in investing activities	(145,553)	(83,625)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(48,858)	(45,986)
Special distribution on Common Units	0	(83,149)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(5)	(15)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(623)	(623)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(238)	(466)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	561	13,191
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	(46)	(250)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(1,544)	(3,807)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	32,000	200,300
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(277,000)	(69,300)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	345,863	346,001
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(444)	(380,261)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(3,092)	(5,401)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities	46,574	(29,766)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	(20,451)	(44,472)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period	88,333	78,631
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period	67,882	34,159
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	31,034	4,918
Restricted cash at end of the period	36,848	29,241
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	15,986	18,909
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains on cash flow hedges	7,877	452
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(7,333)	(6,741)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	10,511	10,649
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	7,112	10,091
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	0	3,161
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	$ (20,896)	$ (5,435)