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, 2016			101,665,554
Balance at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 2,154,316	$ 2,125,396	$ 1,017	$ 28,920	$ 21,023	$ 2,081,463	$ 2,850,881	$ 4,949	$ 4,949	$ 17,961	$ 17,961	$ (749,412)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		70,977			710	70,267			0		0
Distributions on Common Units		(185,072)			(1,851)	(183,221)			0		0
Distributions on Preferred Units		(2,492)			(25)	(2,467)			0		0
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			1,480,573
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	70,977		$ 15	0			70,962	0		0		0
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			10,000
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	511		$ 0	0			511	0		0		0
Dividends on Common Stock	(180,805)		0	0			0	0		0		(180,805)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,492)		0	0			0	0		0		(2,492)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	354		0	0			354	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,784)	(1,784)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(1,784)	(1,784)	0
Issuances of restricted stock - Shares			110,748
Issuances of restricted stock	0		$ 0	0			0	0		0		0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(28)		$ 0	(28)			0	0		0		0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - Shares			0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	6,692	6,692	$ 1	0	67	6,625	6,691	0	0	0	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		73			1	72			0		0
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(5,059)		0	0			0	0		0		(5,059)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0	(12)	(1,227)	0	0	0	1,239	1,239	(1,239)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	191,663	191,663	0	0	1,917	189,746	0	0	0	0	0	191,663
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	2,889	2,889	$ 0	0	0	0	0	2,889	2,889	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	194,552	194,552
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017			103,266,875
Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	2,237,234	2,208,342	$ 1,033	28,892	21,830	2,161,258	2,929,399	7,838	7,838	17,416	17,416	(747,344)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		1,865			19	1,846			0		0
Distributions on Common Units		(195,712)			(1,957)	(193,755)			0		0
Distributions on Preferred Units		(2,492)			(25)	(2,467)			0		0
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			33,652
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	1,865		$ 0	0			1,865	0		0		0
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			90,001
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	4,043		$ 0	0			4,043	0		0		0
Dividends on Common Stock	(191,302)		0	0			0	0		0		(191,302)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,492)		0	0			0	0		0		(2,492)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	33,427		0	0			33,427	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,047)	(1,047)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(1,047)	(1,047)	0
Issuances of restricted stock - Shares			172,440
Issuances of restricted stock	0		$ 0	0			0	0		0		0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(15)		$ 0	(15)			0	0		0		0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - Shares			(5,903)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	7,466	7,466	$ 3	0	75	7,391	7,463	0	0	0	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		37,292			372	36,920			0		0
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(4,588)		0	0			0	0		0		(4,588)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0	(12)	(1,195)	0	0	0	1,207	1,207	(1,207)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	177,630	177,630	0	0	1,776	175,854	0	0	0	0	0	177,630
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	2,075	2,075	$ 0	0	0	0	0	2,075	2,075	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	$ 179,705	179,705
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018	103,557,065		103,557,065
Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 2,264,296	2,235,419	$ 1,036	28,877	22,078	2,185,852	2,976,197	9,913	9,913	17,576	17,576	(769,303)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		298			3	295			0		0
Distributions on Common Units		(201,347)			(2,013)	(199,334)			0		0
Distributions on Preferred Units		(2,488)			(25)	(2,463)			0		0
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			(143)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	298		$ 0	0			298	0		0		0
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			15,000
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	663		$ 0	0			663	0		0		0
Dividends on Common Stock	(196,935)		0	0			0	0		0		(196,935)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,488)		0	0			0	0		0		(2,488)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(29,557)		0	0			(29,557)	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,767)	(1,767)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(1,767)	(1,767)	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	4,987	4,987	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4,987	4,987	0
Issuances of restricted stock - Shares			190,934
Issuances of restricted stock	0		$ 0	0			0	0		0		0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(18)		$ 0	(18)			0	0		0		0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - Shares			(6,810)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	7,180	7,180	$ 2	0	72	7,108	7,178	0	0	0	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(28,033)			(280)	(27,753)			0		0
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,551)		0	0			0	0		0		(3,551)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0	(12)	(1,202)	0	0	0	1,214	1,214	(1,214)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	141,683	141,683	0	0	1,417	140,266	0	0	0	0	0	141,683
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	(10,384)	(10,384)	$ 0	0	0	0	0	(10,384)	(10,384)	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	$ 131,299	131,299
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019	103,756,046		103,756,046
Balance at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 2,174,407	$ 2,145,548	$ 1,038	$ 28,859	$ 21,240	$ 2,102,769	$ 2,954,779	$ (471)	$ (471)	$ 22,010	$ 22,010	$ (831,808)