Debt of the Operating Partnership (Summary of Outstanding Indebtedness) (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Senior Notes \| 0.125% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	0.125%
Senior Notes \| 2.750% notes due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	2.75%
Senior Notes \| 4.750% notes due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	4.75%
Senior Notes \| 2.625% notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	2.625%
Senior Notes \| 2.750% notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	2.75%
Senior Notes \| 4.250% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	4.25%
Senior Notes \| 0.625% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	0.625%
Senior Notes \| 2.500% notes due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	2.50%
Senior Notes \| 3.300% notes due 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	3.30%
Senior Notes \| 1.500% notes due 2030
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	1.50%
Senior Notes \| 3.750% notes due 2030
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	3.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 12,350,185
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount	32,175
Total indebtedness	12,251,332	$ 10,122,448
Unamortized net premiums	6,058
Long-term debt, net of discount (premium)	12,324,068
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	613,913	245,766
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount	0
Deferred financing costs	(10,812)	(11,661)
Total indebtedness	603,101	234,105
Unamortized net premiums	0
Long-term debt, net of discount (premium)	$ 613,913
Interest rate basis spread	0.90%
Commitment fee percentage	0.20%
Number of extension options \| item	2
Debt instrument, extension term	6 months
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Yen Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 227,919	146,451
Commitment fee percentage	0.50%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 774,096
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount	0
Deferred financing costs	(2,671)	(2,986)
Total indebtedness	771,425	810,219
Unamortized net premiums	0
Long-term debt, net of discount (premium)	774,096
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Unsecured term loans, net \| 2023 and 2024 Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	774,096	813,205
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Unsecured term loans, net \| 2023 Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	300,000	300,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Unsecured term loans, net \| 2024 Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	474,096	513,205
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	10,722,212
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount	32,175
Deferred financing costs	(59,058)	(52,038)
Total indebtedness	10,637,006	8,973,190
Unamortized discounts, net of premiums	(26,148)	(16,145)
Unamortized net premiums	6,027
Long-term debt, net of discount (premium)	10,696,064	9,025,228
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 3.950% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 500,000	500,000
Stated interest rate	3.95%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 3.625% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 300,000	300,000
Stated interest rate	3.625%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 0.125% notes due 2022
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 330,930	0
Stated interest rate	0.125%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 2.750% notes due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 350,000	350,000
Stated interest rate	2.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 4.750% notes due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 372,600	397,710
Stated interest rate	4.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 2.625% notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 661,860	672,780
Stated interest rate	2.625%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 2.750% notes due 2024
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 310,500	331,425
Stated interest rate	2.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 4.250% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 496,800	530,280
Stated interest rate	4.25%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 0.625% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 717,015	0
Stated interest rate	0.625%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 4.750% notes due 2025
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 450,000	450,000
Stated interest rate	4.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 2.500% notes due 2026
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 1,185,832	1,205,398
Stated interest rate	2.50%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 3.700% notes due 2027
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 1,000,000	1,000,000
Stated interest rate	3.70%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 1.125% notes due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 551,550	560,650
Stated interest rate	1.125%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 4.450% notes due 2028
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 650,000	650,000
Stated interest rate	4.45%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 3.600% notes due 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 434,700	463,995
Stated interest rate	3.60%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 3.300% notes due 2029
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 900,000	900,000
Stated interest rate	3.30%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 1.500% notes due 2030
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 827,325	0
Stated interest rate	1.50%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| 3.750% notes due 2030
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 683,100	729,135
Stated interest rate	3.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Senior Notes \| Secured note due March 2023 \| LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate basis spread	1.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Secured Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 239,964
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount	0
Deferred financing costs	(195)	(209)
Total indebtedness	239,800	104,934
Unamortized net premiums	31	54
Long-term debt, net of discount (premium)	239,995	105,143
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Secured Debt \| 731 East Trade Street
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 964	1,089
Effective interest rate (as a percent)	8.22%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Secured Debt \| Secured note due March 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 104,000	104,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. \| Secured Debt \| Westin
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 135,000	$ 0
Stated interest rate	3.29%

Debt Instrument, Extension Length

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Long-term Debt, Net of Discount (Premium)

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Number Of Extension Options

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Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

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Amount, before unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt.

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Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

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Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

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Amount, after accumulated amortization, of debt discount.

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