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, 2018			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		(731)			(7)	(724)
Distributions on Common Units		(100,634)			(1,006)	(99,628)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(1,244)			(12)	(1,232)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings - Shares			(23,705)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	(731)		$ 0				(731)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			8,000
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	353						353
Dividends on Common Stock	(98,425)											(98,425)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,244)											(1,244)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(8,532)						(8,532)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(784)	(784)								(784)	(784)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidate affiliates	4,987	4,987								4,987	4,987
Issuances of restricted stock - shares			164,190
Issuances of restricted stock	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(18)			(18)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - shares			(947)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	5,512	5,512	$ 1		55	5,457	5,511
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(7,207)			(72)	(7,135)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(1,237)											(1,237)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(6)	(616)				622	622	(622)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	49,780	49,780			498	49,282						49,780
Other comprehensive loss	(3,425)	(3,425)						(3,425)	(3,425)
Total comprehensive income	46,355	46,355
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019			103,704,603
Balance at Jun. 30, 2019	2,210,532	2,181,673	$ 1,037	28,859	21,528	2,131,256	2,972,798	6,488	6,488	22,401	22,401	(821,051)
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2019			103,690,619
Balance at Mar. 31, 2019	2,200,268	2,171,409	$ 1,037	28,859	21,463	2,124,868	2,956,517	7,494	7,494	17,584	17,584	(811,223)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		397			4	393
Distributions on Common Units		(50,353)			(503)	(49,850)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(622)			(6)	(616)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings - Shares			9,672
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	397		$ 0				397
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			5,000
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	222						222
Dividends on Common Stock	(49,250)											(49,250)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(622)											(622)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	14,722						14,722
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(476)	(476)								(476)	(476)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidate affiliates	4,987	4,987								4,987	4,987
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - shares			(688)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	940	940	$ 0		9	931	940
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		15,003			150	14,853
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(1,044)											(1,044)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(3)	(303)				306	306	(306)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	41,394	41,394			414	40,980						41,394
Other comprehensive loss	(1,006)	(1,006)						(1,006)	(1,006)
Total comprehensive income	40,388	40,388
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019			103,704,603
Balance at Jun. 30, 2019	$ 2,210,532	2,181,673	$ 1,037	28,859	21,528	2,131,256	2,972,798	6,488	6,488	22,401	22,401	(821,051)
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)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		7,564			76	7,488
Distributions on Common Units		(101,931)			(1,019)	(100,912)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(1,244)			(12)	(1,232)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings - Shares			(2,248)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	1,401		$ 0				1,401
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	0
Dividends on Common Stock	(99,596)											(99,596)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,244)											(1,244)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	36,525						36,525
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(829)	(829)								(829)	(829)
Issuances of restricted stock - shares			149,304
Issuances of restricted stock	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(16)			(16)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - shares			(6,166)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	3,738	3,738	$ 1		37	3,701	3,737
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		26,720			267	26,453
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(5,977)											(5,977)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(6)	(568)				574	574	(574)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	230,296	230,296			2,303	227,993						230,296
Other comprehensive loss	(1,233)	(1,233)						(1,233)	(1,233)
Total comprehensive income	$ 229,063	229,063
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020	103,896,936		103,896,936
Balance at Jun. 30, 2020	$ 2,337,472	2,308,629	$ 1,039	28,843	22,886	2,265,692	2,996,442	(1,704)	(1,704)	21,755	21,755	(708,903)
Balance (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2020			103,885,918
Balance at Mar. 31, 2020	2,354,860	2,326,004	$ 1,039	28,856	23,055	2,282,528	3,000,614	(1,676)	(1,676)	22,097	22,097	(696,070)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		362			4	358
Distributions on Common Units		(51,028)			(510)	(50,518)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(622)			(6)	(616)
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings - Shares			11,018
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	362		$ 0				362
Dividends on Common Stock	(49,861)											(49,861)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(622)											(622)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(5,776)						(5,776)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(631)	(631)								(631)	(631)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(13)			(13)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - shares			0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	1,242	1,242	$ 0		12	1,230	1,242
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(5,626)			(56)	(5,570)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(1,017)											(1,017)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(3)	(286)				289	289	(289)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	38,956	38,956			390	38,566						38,956
Other comprehensive loss	(28)	(28)						(28)	(28)
Total comprehensive income	$ 38,928	38,928
Balance (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020	103,896,936		103,896,936
Balance at Jun. 30, 2020	$ 2,337,472	$ 2,308,629	$ 1,039	$ 28,843	$ 22,886	$ 2,265,692	$ 2,996,442	$ (1,704)	$ (1,704)	$ 21,755	$ 21,755	$ (708,903)