Consolidated Statements of Capital - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance (in units)		159,019,118			159,019,118
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units					$ 10,009	$ 5,242	$ 1,843
Common unit offering costs							799
Issuance of common units in connection with DFT merger					5,924,124
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan					5,143
Redemption of series E preferred units					$ 211,897	1,085,444	675,577
Net proceeds from issuance of preferred units (in units)					6,111,770
Issuance of series J preferred units, net of offering costs					$ 193,540
Redemption of series F preferred units					(182,500)	(287,500)
Conversion of preferred units						(2)	242,014
Amortization of unearned compensation on share-based awards					27,981	24,113	14,375
Net income	$ 79,658	$ 84,563	$ 96,140	$ 62,333	256,267	431,852	301,591
Other comprehensive income— foreign currency translation adjustments					28,709	(86,621)	(51,745)
Other comprehensive income— fair value of interest rate swaps and foreign currency hedges					(3,434)	41,998	(3,407)
Other comprehensive income— reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive loss to interest expense					$ 2,459	$ 4,968	2,621
Balance (in units)	205,470,300		159,019,118		205,470,300	159,019,118
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance as of Beginning of Period		5,132,297		4,535,137	$ 5,132,297	$ 4,535,137	3,914,238
Common unit offering costs							799
Issuance of common units in connection with DFT merger					5,924,124
Issuance of common units, net of offering costs					211,897	1,085,444	675,577
Issuance of common units in connection with the exercise of stock options					729	1,380	896
Preferred unit offering costs						(2)
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan					5,143	3,349
Redemption of series E preferred units					219,250		242,014
Issuance of series J preferred units, net of offering costs					193,540
Redemption of series F preferred units					(182,500)	(287,500)
Amortization of unearned compensation on share-based awards					27,981	24,113	14,375
Adjustment to redeemable common units					12,357
Distributions					(770,776)	(621,294)	(559,964)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of contributions					(8,593)	(527)	(493)
Net income	$ 79,658	84,563	$ 96,140	62,333	256,267	431,852	300,226
Other comprehensive income— foreign currency translation adjustments					28,709	(86,621)	(51,745)
Other comprehensive income— fair value of interest rate swaps and foreign currency hedges					(3,434)	41,998	(3,407)
Other comprehensive income— reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive loss to interest expense					2,459	4,968	2,621
Balance as of End of Period	11,049,450		5,132,297		$ 11,049,450	5,132,297	4,535,137
Redeemable Limited Partner Common Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common units in connection with DFT merger (in units)					66,259,000
Adjustment to redeemable common units					$ (12,357)
Balance as of End of Period	53,902				53,902
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance as of Beginning of Period		(140,619)		(100,964)	(140,619)	(100,964)	(48,433)
Other comprehensive income— foreign currency translation adjustments					28,709	(86,621)	(51,745)
Other comprehensive income— fair value of interest rate swaps and foreign currency hedges					(3,434)	41,998	(3,407)
Other comprehensive income— reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive loss to interest expense					2,459	4,968	2,621
Balance as of End of Period	(112,885)		(140,619)		(112,885)	(140,619)	(100,964)
Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Joint Ventures | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance as of Beginning of Period		6,598		6,758	6,598	6,758	6,791
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of contributions					(8,593)	(527)	(493)
Net income					4,238	367	460
Balance as of End of Period	$ 2,243		$ 6,598		2,243	6,598	6,758
General Partner | Preferred Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance as of Beginning of Period		$ 1,012,961		$ 1,290,135	$ 1,012,961	$ 1,290,135	$ 1,048,121
Balance (in units)		41,900,000		53,400,000	41,900,000	53,400,000	43,400,000
Preferred unit offering costs						$ (2)
Redemption of series E preferred units							$ 242,014
Net proceeds from issuance of preferred units (in units)					8,000,000		10,000,000
Issuance of series J preferred units, net of offering costs					$ 193,540
Redemption of series F preferred units					$ (176,191)	$ (277,172)
Redemption of series F preferred units (units)					(7,300,000)	(11,500,000)
Distributions					$ (68,802)	$ (83,771)	$ (79,423)
Net income					$ 68,802	$ 83,771	$ 79,423
Balance (in units)	50,650,000		41,900,000		50,650,000	41,900,000	53,400,000
Balance as of End of Period	$ 1,249,560		$ 1,012,961		$ 1,249,560	$ 1,012,961	$ 1,290,135
General Partner | Common Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance as of Beginning of Period		$ 4,218,659		$ 3,305,222	$ 4,218,659	$ 3,305,222	$ 2,875,181
Balance (in units)		159,019,118		146,384,247	159,019,118	146,384,247	135,626,255
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units					$ 10,009	$ 5,242	$ 1,843
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)					(562,582)	(430,493)	(156,008)
Issuance of restricted common units, net of forfeitures (units)					249,050	120,082	72,673
Common unit offering costs							$ 799
Issuance of common units in connection with DFT merger (in units)					43,175,629
Issuance of common units in connection with DFT merger					$ 5,247,558
Issuance of common units, net of offering costs (in units)					2,375,000	12,000,000	10,500,000
Issuance of common units, net of offering costs					$ 211,897	$ 1,085,444	$ 675,577
Issuance of common units in connection with the exercise of stock options					$ 729	$ 1,380	$ 896
Issuance of common units in connection with the exercise of stock options (units)					17,668	33,948	29,311
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan					$ 5,143	$ 3,349
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan (units)					71,253	50,348
Redemption of series F preferred units					$ (6,309)	$ (10,328)
Amortization of unearned compensation on share-based awards					27,981	24,113	$ 14,375
Reclassification of vested share-based awards					(10,057)	(10,125)	(8,602)
Adjustment to redeemable common units					4,166
Distributions					(681,280)	(528,054)	(470,748)
Net income					$ 179,457	$ 342,416	$ 215,901
Balance (in units)	205,470,300		159,019,118		205,470,300	159,019,118	146,384,247
Balance as of End of Period	$ 9,207,953		$ 4,218,659		$ 9,207,953	$ 4,218,659	$ 3,305,222
General Partner | Series C Preferred Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Redemption of series E preferred units					$ 219,250
Net proceeds from issuance of preferred units (in units)					8,050,000
Limited Partners | Common Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Balance as of Beginning of Period		$ 34,698		$ 33,986	$ 34,698	$ 33,986	$ 32,578
Balance (in units)		2,475,663		2,833,326	2,475,663	2,833,326	3,013,661
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units					$ (10,009)	$ (5,242)	$ (1,843)
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)					(562,582)	(430,493)	(156,008)
Issuance of common units in connection with DFT merger (in units)					6,111,770
Issuance of common units in connection with DFT merger					$ 676,566
Issuance of common units, net of forfeitures (units)					(464,244)	(72,830)	(24,327)
Reclassification of vested share-based awards					$ 10,057	$ 10,125	$ 8,602
Distributions					(20,694)	(9,469)	(9,793)
Net income					$ 3,770	$ 5,298	$ 4,442
Balance (in units)	8,489,095		2,475,663		8,489,095	2,475,663	2,833,326
Balance as of End of Period	$ 702,579		$ 34,698		$ 702,579	$ 34,698	$ 33,986