Income per Share (Schedule of Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings per Share) (Details) - shares	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (shares)	15,429,176	19,206,574	31,091,764	19,239,871
Weighted average of Operating Partnership common units not owned by Digital Realty Trust, Inc.
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (shares)	2,402,446	2,757,466	2,442,342	2,730,120
Series E Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (shares)	2,807,321	4,360,736	3,076,204	4,376,813
Series F Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (shares)	1,780,397	2,765,569	1,950,922	2,775,765
Series G Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (shares)	2,434,401	3,781,463	2,667,567	3,795,404
Series H Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (shares)	3,567,361	5,541,340	3,909,041	5,561,769
Series I Preferred Units
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (shares)	2,437,250	0	2,670,688	0
Forward equity sale
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Potentially dilutive securities (shares)	0	0	14,375,000	0