Debt of the Operating Partnership (Floating and Base Rate Borrowing) (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) $ / $ $ / $ $ / $ $ / $ $ / € $ / £	Dec. 31, 2018 $ / €	Dec. 31, 2018 $ / $	Dec. 31, 2018 $ / ¥	Dec. 31, 2018 $ / $	Dec. 31, 2018 $ / $	Dec. 31, 2018 $ / £	Dec. 31, 2018 $ / $	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018
3.750% notes due 2030 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate		3.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 10,205,433
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 245,766								$ 1,663,156
Weighted-average interest rate		1.00%									2.41%
Interest rate basis spread		90.00%
Commitment fee percentage		20.00%
Letters of credit issued		$ 45,200
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Yen Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 146,451								134,564
Weighted-average interest rate		0.50%									0.50%
Interest rate basis spread		50.00%
Commitment fee percentage		10.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 813,205
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		9,041,373
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Secured Debt.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		105,089
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 813,205								808,120
Weighted-average interest rate		2.62%									3.17%
Interest rate basis spread		100.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate		2.39%									2.66%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 3.750% notes due 2030 | Unsecured senior notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 729,135								510,160
Stated interest rate		3.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 5.875% notes due 2020 | Unsecured term loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Early extinguishment charge	$ 12,900
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 5.875% notes due 2020 | Unsecured senior notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross										500,000
Stated interest rate		5.875%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 3.400% notes due 2020 | Unsecured senior notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross										500,000
Stated interest rate		3.40%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 3.400% 2020 Notes and 2021 Notes | Unsecured term loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Early extinguishment charge		$ 26,300
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 99,315								1,528,592
Weighted-average interest rate		1.75%									2.57%
Interest rate basis spread		90.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | U.S. dollar ($) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 300,000								300,000
Weighted-average interest rate		2.74%									3.46%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | U.S. dollar ($) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate		2.44%									2.44%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | U.S. dollar ($) | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross										890,000
Weighted-average interest rate											3.37%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | British pound sterling () | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / £								1.28
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | British pound sterling () | Unsecured senior notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / £		1.33						1.28
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | British pound sterling () | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross										8,290
Weighted-average interest rate											1.61%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Euro () | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / €		1.12	1.15
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Euro () | Unsecured senior notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / €		1.12	1.15
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Euro () | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 44,852								451,800
Weighted-average interest rate		0.90%									0.90%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Australian dollar (AUD) | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $		0.70				0.70
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Australian dollar (AUD) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 203,820								204,632
Weighted-average interest rate		1.85%									2.94%
Exchange rate | $ / $						0.70
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Australian dollar (AUD) | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 1,264								27,632
Weighted-average interest rate		1.74%									2.82%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $									0.13
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 85,629								85,188
Weighted-average interest rate		3.60%									3.32%
Exchange rate | $ / $		0.13							0.13
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross										8,797
Weighted-average interest rate											3.14%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Japanese yen (JPY) | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate		0.01			0.01						0.01
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Japanese yen (JPY) | Unsecured term loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $		0.70
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Japanese yen (JPY) | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross										4,105
Weighted-average interest rate											0.90%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Singapore dollar (SGD) | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $		0.74		0.73
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Singapore dollar (SGD) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 147,931								146,080
Weighted-average interest rate		2.68%									2.76%
Exchange rate | $ / $		0.74		0.73
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Singapore dollar (SGD) | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 53,199								77,112
Weighted-average interest rate		2.46%									2.79%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Canadian dollar (CAD)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $		0.77					0.73
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Canadian dollar (CAD) | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $							0.73
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Canadian dollar (CAD) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross		$ 75,825								72,220
Weighted-average interest rate		3.00%									3.24%
Exchange rate | $ / $		0.77					0.73
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Canadian dollar (CAD) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate		1.78%									1.78%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Canadian dollar (CAD) | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross										$ 60,856
Weighted-average interest rate											3.16%