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Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Total | Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Special Dividend [Member] | Special Dividend [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Common Stock [Member] | Common Stock [Member] Special Dividend [Member] | Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member] | Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member] Special Dividend [Member] | General Partner Common Units [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | General Partner Common Units [Member] Special Dividend [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Limited Partner Common Units [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Limited Partner Common Units [Member] Special Dividend [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] | Additional Paid-in Capital [Member] Special Dividend [Member] | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Special Dividend [Member] | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Special Dividend [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates [Member] | Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates [Member] Special Dividend [Member] | Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates [Member] Special Dividend [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member] | Distributions in Excess of Net Income Available for Common Stockholders [Member] | Distributions in Excess of Net Income Available for Common Stockholders [Member] Special Dividend [Member]
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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 |  | 125,537 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,255 |  | 124,282 |  |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  |
Distributions on Common Units |  | (164,601) |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,646) |  | (162,955) |  |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  |
Distributions on Preferred Units |  | (2,506) |  |  |  |  |  |  | (25) |  | (2,481) |  |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  |
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares |  |  |  |  | 3,023,710 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings | 125,537 |  |  |  | $ 30 |  | 0 |  |  |  |  |  | 125,507 |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares |  |  |  |  | 37,203 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock | 1,645 |  |  |  | $ 0 |  | 0 |  |  |  |  |  | 1,645 |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |
Dividends on Common Stock | (160,337) |  |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |  |  |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | (160,337) |
Dividends on Preferred Stock | (2,506) |  |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |  |  |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | (2,506) |
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value | (67) |  |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |  |  |  |  | (67) |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates | (1,398) | (1,398) |  |  | $ 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 | 0 |  |  | (1,398) | (1,398) |  |  | 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 |  |  |  |  | (5,242) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures | 6,884 | 6,884 |  |  | $ 2 |  | 0 |  | 69 |  | 6,815 |  | 6,882 |  | 0 | 0 |  |  | 0 | 0 |  |  | 0 |
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner |  | 2,732 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 28 |  | 2,704 |  |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  |
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership | (2,918) |  |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |  |  |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | (2,918) |
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates | 0 | 0 |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | (13) |  | (1,251) |  | 0 |  | 0 | 0 |  |  | 1,264 | 1,264 |  |  | (1,264) |
Comprehensive income: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net income | 101,260 | 101,260 |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 1,013 |  | 100,247 |  | 0 |  | 0 | 0 |  |  | 0 | 0 |  |  | 101,260 |
Other comprehensive income | 101 | 101 |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 101 | 101 |  |  | 0 | 0 |  |  | 0 |
Total comprehensive income | 101,361 | 101,361 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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) |
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015 |  |  |  |  | 96,091,932 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings |  | 256,380 |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,564 |  | 253,816 |  |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  |
Distributions on Common Units |  | (171,054) |  | $ (83,149) |  |  |  |  | (1,710) | $ (832) | (169,344) | $ (82,317) |  |  |  | 0 |  | $ 0 |  | 0 |  | $ 0 |  |
Distributions on Preferred Units |  | (2,501) |  |  |  |  |  |  | (25) |  | (2,476) |  |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  |
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares |  |  |  |  | 5,390,710 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings | 256,380 |  |  |  | $ 54 |  | 0 |  |  |  |  |  | 256,326 |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares |  |  |  |  | 61,048 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock | 3,057 |  |  |  | $ 0 |  | 0 |  |  |  |  |  | 3,057 |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |
Dividends on Common Stock | (166,861) |  | $ (81,205) |  | 0 | $ 0 | 0 | $ 0 |  |  |  |  | 0 | $ 0 | 0 |  | $ 0 |  | 0 |  | $ 0 |  | (166,861) | $ (81,205)
Dividends on Preferred Stock | (2,501) |  |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |  |  |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | (2,501) |
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value | (12,993) |  |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |  |  |  |  | (12,993) |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates | (1,267) | (1,267) |  |  | $ 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 | 0 |  |  | (1,267) | (1,267) |  |  | 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 | 6,251 | 6,251 |  |  | $ 2 |  | 0 |  | 63 |  | 6,188 |  | 6,249 |  | 0 | 0 |  |  | 0 | 0 |  |  | 0 |
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner |  | (19,395) |  |  |  |  |  |  | (194) |  | (19,201) |  |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  |
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership | (15,596) |  |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |  |  |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |  |  | (15,596) |
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates | 0 | 0 |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | (13) |  | (1,240) |  | 0 |  | 0 | 0 |  |  | 1,253 | 1,253 |  |  | (1,253) |
Comprehensive income: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net income | 541,139 | 541,139 |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 5,411 |  | 535,728 |  | 0 |  | 0 | 0 |  |  | 0 | 0 |  |  | 541,139 |
Other comprehensive income | 8,760 | 8,760 |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 8,760 | 8,760 |  |  | 0 | 0 |  |  | 0 |
Total comprehensive income | 549,899 | 549,899 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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) |
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016 | 101,665,554 |  |  |  | 101,665,554 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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 | 2,889 | 2,889 |  |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 0 |  | 2,889 | 2,889 |  |  | 0 | 0 |  |  | 0 |
Total comprehensive income | 194,552 | 194,552 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
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) |
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2017 | 103,266,875 |  |  |  | 103,266,875 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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