Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 256,267	$ 431,852	$ 301,591
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Gain on sale of properties	(40,354)	(169,902)	(94,604)
Gain on lease termination	0	(29,205)	0
Impairment of investments in real estate	28,992	0	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	(25,516)	(17,104)	(15,491)
Change in fair value of contingent consideration	0	0	(44,276)
Distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures	31,747	16,755	14,947
Write-off of net assets due to early lease terminations	3,076	213	75,263
Gain on settlement of pre-existing relationships with Telx	0	0	(14,355)
Depreciation and amortization of buildings and improvements, tenant improvements and acquired ground leases	594,996	518,716	464,694
Amortization of acquired in-place lease value and deferred leasing costs	247,468	180,608	105,833
Amortization of share-based unearned compensation	20,521	17,433	6,360
Non-cash amortization of terminated swaps	1,204	0	0
(Recovery of) allowance for doubtful accounts	(776)	1,602	(458)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	10,634	9,908	8,481
(Gain) loss on early extinguishment of debt	(1,990)	1,011	148
Amortization of debt discount/premium	2,992	2,616	2,032
Amortization of acquired above-market leases and acquired below-market leases	1,770	(8,351)	(9,336)
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of impact of Telx acquisition and European portfolio acquisition
Accounts and other receivables	(73,717)	(13,754)	(10,127)
Deferred rent	(16,564)	(24,401)	(48,404)
Deferred leasing costs	(15,363)	60	(11,688)
Other assets	(1,800)	(69,924)	(2,928)
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	(16,384)	38,432	36,113
Security deposits and prepaid rents	16,102	24,677	33,045
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,023,305	911,242	796,840
Cash flows from investing activities:
Telx acquisition, net of cash acquired	0	0	(1,850,061)
Cash assumed in DFT merger	20,650	0	0
Acquisitions of real estate, net of cash acquired	(415,764)	(873,285)	(99,247)
Proceeds from sale of assets, net of sales costs	89,333	359,319	185,565
Distribution of debt proceeds from closing of joint venture	135,793	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	(93,405)	0	(10,797)
Excess proceeds from forward contract settlement	63,956	0	0
Receipt of value added tax refund	0	11,624	17,570
Refundable value added tax paid	0	(43,719)	(30,322)
Improvements to and advances for investments in real estate	(1,150,619)	(758,081)	(737,180)
Improvement advances to tenants	(50,857)	(16,239)	(40,553)
Collection of advances from tenants for improvements	43,760	16,784	37,524
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,357,153)	(1,303,597)	(2,527,501)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on global revolving credit facility	2,180,556	2,533,507	2,436,032
Repayments on global revolving credit facility	(2,304,686)	(3,283,087)	(1,958,025)
Borrowings on unsecured term loans	0	766,201	0
Repayments on unsecured term loans	(371,520)	(170,736)	0
Borrowings on unsecured senior notes	2,265,060	675,591	1,445,127
Principal payments on unsecured senior notes	(884,841)	0	(374,927)
Repayments on other secured loans	50,000	25,000	67,000
Borrowings on mortgage loans	104,000	0	0
Principal payments on mortgage loans	(105,546)	(299,826)	(75,492)
Earnout payments related to acquisitions	0	(23,213)	(12,985)
Payment of loan fees and costs	(16,830)	(19,574)	(13,488)
Capital distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures	(8,593)	(527)	(493)
Proceeds from common and preferred stock offerings, net	405,437	1,085,442	918,944
Proceeds from equity plans	5,872	4,729	896
Redemption of preferred stock	(182,500)	(287,500)	0
Payment of dividends to preferred stockholders/unitholders	(68,802)	(83,771)	(79,423)
Payment of distributions to common stockholders/unitholders	(646,407)	(521,619)	(468,635)
Net cash provided by financing activities	321,200	350,617	1,750,531
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(12,648)	(41,738)	19,870
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	3,793	(11,288)	2,316
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	22,036	75,062	52,876
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	13,181	22,036	75,062
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	211,549	216,713	180,141
Cash paid for income taxes	9,456	3,698	3,122
Supplementary disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Change in net assets related to foreign currency translation adjustments	28,709	(86,621)	(51,745)
Accrual of dividends and distributions	199,761	144,194	126,925
(Decrease) increase in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps	(3,434)	41,998	(3,407)
Noncontrolling interests in operating partnership redeemed for or converted to shares of common stock	10,009	5,242	1,843
Accrual for additions to investments in real estate and tenant improvement advances included in accounts payable and accrued expenses	149,548	128,531	109,394
Accrual for potential earnout contingency	0	0	19,364
Assumption of capital lease obligations upon acquisition	0	118,923	63,692
Note receivable related to sale of property	0	0	9,000
Allocation of purchase price of real estate/investment in partnership to:
Investments in real estate	366,105	378,431	99,247
Accounts receivable	0	8,537	0
Goodwill	0	448,123	0
Acquired above-market leases	21,043	0	0
Acquired in-place lease value and deferred leasing costs	30,111	226,877	0
Other assets	0	9,011	0
Capital lease obligations	0	(118,923)	0
Acquired below-market leases	(1,495)	(922)	0
Accounts payables and other accrued liabilities	0	(69,084)	0
Security deposits and prepaid rents	0	(8,765)	0
Cash paid for acquisition of real estate	415,764	873,285	99,247
Land	87,610
Goodwill	3,389,595	752,970
Common stock issued in connection with merger	(5,924,124)
Issuance of preferred stock in connection with merger	(211,897)	(1,085,444)	(675,577)
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	256,267	431,852	300,226
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Gain on sale of properties	(40,354)	(169,902)	(94,604)
Gain on lease termination	0	(29,205)	0
Impairment of investments in real estate	28,992	0	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated joint ventures	(25,516)	(17,104)	(15,491)
Change in fair value of contingent consideration	0	0	(44,276)
Distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures	31,747	16,755	14,947
Write-off of net assets due to early lease terminations	3,076	213	75,263
Gain on settlement of pre-existing relationships with Telx	0	0	(14,355)
Depreciation and amortization of buildings and improvements, tenant improvements and acquired ground leases	594,996	518,716	464,694
Amortization of acquired in-place lease value and deferred leasing costs	247,468	180,608	105,833
Amortization of share-based unearned compensation	20,521	17,433	6,360
Non-cash amortization of terminated swaps	1,204	0	0
(Recovery of) allowance for doubtful accounts	(776)	1,602	(458)
Amortization of deferred financing costs	10,634	9,908	8,481
(Gain) loss on early extinguishment of debt	(1,990)	1,011	148
Amortization of debt discount/premium	2,992	2,616	2,032
Amortization of acquired above-market leases and acquired below-market leases	1,770	(8,351)	(9,336)
Changes in assets and liabilities, net of impact of Telx acquisition and European portfolio acquisition
Accounts and other receivables	(73,717)	(13,754)	(10,127)
Deferred rent	(16,564)	(24,401)	(48,404)
Deferred leasing costs	(15,363)	60	(11,688)
Other assets	(1,800)	(69,924)	(2,928)
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	(16,384)	38,432	37,478
Security deposits and prepaid rents	16,102	24,677	33,045
Net cash provided by operating activities	1,023,305	911,242	796,840
Cash flows from investing activities:
Telx acquisition, net of cash acquired	0	0	(1,850,061)
Cash assumed in DFT merger	20,650	0	0
Acquisitions of real estate, net of cash acquired	(415,764)	(873,285)	(99,247)
Proceeds from sale of assets, net of sales costs	89,333	359,319	185,565
Distribution of debt proceeds from closing of joint venture	135,793	0	0
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures	(93,405)	0	(10,797)
Excess proceeds from forward contract settlement	63,956	0	0
Receipt of value added tax refund	0	11,624	17,570
Refundable value added tax paid	0	(43,719)	(30,322)
Improvements to and advances for investments in real estate	(1,150,619)	(758,081)	(737,180)
Improvement advances to tenants	(50,857)	(16,239)	(40,553)
Collection of advances from tenants for improvements	43,760	16,784	37,524
Net cash used in investing activities	(1,357,153)	(1,303,597)	(2,527,501)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on global revolving credit facility	2,180,556	2,533,507	2,436,032
Repayments on global revolving credit facility	(2,304,686)	(3,283,087)	(1,958,025)
Borrowings on unsecured term loans	0	766,201	0
Repayments on unsecured term loans	(371,520)	(170,736)	0
Borrowings on unsecured senior notes	2,265,060	675,591	1,445,127
Principal payments on unsecured senior notes	(884,841)	0	(374,927)
Repayments on other secured loans	50,000	25,000	67,000
Borrowings on mortgage loans	104,000	0	0
Principal payments on mortgage loans	(105,546)	(299,826)	(75,492)
Earnout payments related to acquisitions	0	(23,213)	(12,985)
Payment of loan fees and costs	(16,830)	(19,574)	(13,488)
Capital distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures	(8,593)	(527)	(493)
General partner contributions	228,809	802,671	919,840
Preferred unit offering costs		(2)
Payment of dividends to preferred stockholders/unitholders	(68,802)	(83,771)	(79,423)
Payment of distributions to common stockholders/unitholders	(646,407)	(521,619)	(468,635)
Net cash provided by financing activities	321,200	350,617	1,750,531
Net (decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	(12,648)	(41,738)	19,870
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	3,793	(11,288)	2,316
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period	22,036	75,062	52,876
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	13,181	22,036	75,062
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	211,549	216,713	180,141
Cash paid for income taxes	9,456	3,698	3,122
Supplementary disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Change in net assets related to foreign currency translation adjustments	28,709	(86,621)	(51,745)
Accrual of dividends and distributions	199,761	144,194	126,925
(Decrease) increase in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps	(3,434)	41,998	(3,407)
Accrual for additions to investments in real estate and tenant improvement advances included in accounts payable and accrued expenses	149,548	128,531	109,394
Accrual for potential earnout contingency	0	0	19,364
Assumption of capital lease obligations upon acquisition	0	118,923	63,692
Note receivable related to sale of property	0	0	9,000
Allocation of purchase price of real estate/investment in partnership to:
Investments in real estate	366,105	378,431	99,247
Accounts receivable	0	8,537	0
Goodwill	0	448,123	0
Acquired above-market leases	21,043	0	0
Acquired in-place lease value and deferred leasing costs	30,111	226,877	0
Other assets	0	9,011	0
Capital lease obligations	0	(118,923)	0
Acquired below-market leases	(1,495)	(922)	0
Accounts payables and other accrued liabilities	0	(69,084)	0
Security deposits and prepaid rents	0	(8,765)	0
Cash paid for acquisition of real estate	415,764	873,285	99,247
Goodwill	3,389,595	752,970
Common stock issued in connection with merger	(5,924,124)
Issuance of preferred stock in connection with merger	(219,250)		(242,014)
DFT Company
Allocation of purchase price of real estate/investment in partnership to:
Goodwill	2,592,146	0
Issuance of preferred stock in connection with merger	(219,250)
Total Stockholders’ Equity
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	248,259	426,187	296,689
Allocation of purchase price of real estate/investment in partnership to:
Common stock issued in connection with merger	(5,247,558)
Issuance of preferred stock in connection with merger	(211,897)	$ (1,085,444)	$ (675,577)
Total Stockholders’ Equity | DFT Company
Allocation of purchase price of real estate/investment in partnership to:
Issuance of preferred stock in connection with merger	$ (219,250)