Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 49,780	$ 87,244
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	128,664	114,262
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	868	(960)
Share-based compensation expense	5,512	5,468
Credit losses on operating lease receivables	8,144	192
Write-off of mortgages and notes receivable	4,087	0
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(118)	(225)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	1,455	1,408
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(875)	(621)
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	787	694
Impairments of real estate assets	531	0
Losses on debt extinguishment	375	0
Net gains on disposition of property	(6,703)	(16,972)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(1,429)	(1,068)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	669	1,706
Settlement of cash flow hedges	(5,144)	7,216
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(5,507)	4,469
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(3,305)	(5,232)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(14,273)	(12,707)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	9,771	(916)
Net cash provided by operating activities	173,289	183,958
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(12,795)	(50,649)
Investments in development in-process	(50,884)	(85,717)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(78,449)	(61,990)
Investments in building improvements	(24,113)	(34,652)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	31,510	33,453
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	29	105
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	147	758
Changes in other investing activities	(4,272)	(3,147)
Net cash used in investing activities	(138,827)	(201,839)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(98,425)	(95,579)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(18)	(5)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,244)	(1,246)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(2,598)	(2,599)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(784)	(543)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	1,049	2,052
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	0	(28)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(1,780)	(1,609)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	169,400	257,400
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(215,400)	(360,400)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	349,010	345,863
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(225,929)	(200,892)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(4,379)	(2,948)
Net cash used in financing activities	(31,098)	(60,534)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	3,364	(78,415)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period	10,143	88,333
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period	13,507	9,918
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	4,530	4,232
Restricted cash at end of the period	8,977	5,686
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	33,378	33,273
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(2,550)	8,739
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	353	1,084
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	2,027	(10,574)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	36,188	48,011
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	19,900	19,717
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	828	2,705
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	8,532	(272)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	4,987	0
Initial recognition of lease liabilities related to right of use assets	35,349	0
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	49,780	87,244
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	128,664	114,262
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	868	(960)
Share-based compensation expense	5,512	5,468
Credit losses on operating lease receivables	8,144	192
Write-off of mortgages and notes receivable	4,087	0
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(118)	(225)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	1,455	1,408
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(875)	(621)
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	787	694
Impairments of real estate assets	531	0
Losses on debt extinguishment	375	0
Net gains on disposition of property	(6,703)	(16,972)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(1,429)	(1,068)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	669	1,706
Settlement of cash flow hedges	(5,144)	7,216
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	(5,507)	4,469
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(3,305)	(5,232)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(14,273)	(12,707)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	9,771	(916)
Net cash provided by operating activities	173,289	183,958
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(12,795)	(50,649)
Investments in development in-process	(50,884)	(85,717)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(78,449)	(61,990)
Investments in building improvements	(24,113)	(34,652)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	31,510	33,453
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	29	105
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	147	758
Changes in other investing activities	(4,272)	(3,147)
Net cash used in investing activities	(138,827)	(201,839)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(100,634)	(97,800)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(18)	(5)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(1,244)	(1,246)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(784)	(543)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	1,049	2,052
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	0	(28)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(1,780)	(1,609)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	169,400	257,400
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(215,400)	(360,400)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	349,010	345,863
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(225,929)	(200,892)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(4,768)	(3,326)
Net cash used in financing activities	(31,098)	(60,534)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	3,364	(78,415)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period	10,143	88,333
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period	13,507	9,918
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	4,530	4,232
Restricted cash at end of the period	8,977	5,686
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	33,378	33,273
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains/(losses) on cash flow hedges	(2,550)	8,739
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(2,027)	10,574
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	36,188	48,011
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	19,900	19,717
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	828	2,705
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	6,818	(1,686)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	4,987	0
Initial recognition of lease liabilities related to right of use assets	$ 35,349	$ 0