CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY (unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment General Partner Common Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Total Partners' Capital Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Accumulated Dividends in Excess of Earnings	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment Total Stockholders' Equity	Cumulative Effect, Period of Adoption, Adjustment	General Partner Preferred Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	General Partner Common Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Limited Partners Common Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Total Partners' Capital Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Interest Rate Swap	Total Partners' Capital Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Redeemable Interests Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Interest Rate Swap	Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Joint Ventures Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Interest Rate Swap	Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests -- Operating Partnership	Preferred Stock Potentially dilutive Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Dividends in Excess of Earnings Potentially dilutive Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Accumulated Dividends in Excess of Earnings	Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net Interest Rate Swap	Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net	Total Stockholders' Equity Potentially dilutive Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Total Stockholders' Equity Interest Rate Swap	Total Stockholders' Equity	Noncontrolling Interests in Operating Partnership Interest Rate Swap	Noncontrolling Interests in Operating Partnership	Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Joint Ventures	Total Noncontrolling Interests Interest Rate Swap	Total Noncontrolling Interests	Potentially dilutive Series H Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Interest Rate Swap	Total
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard																		$ 15,832		$ 1,249,560	$ 2,051	$ 11,355,751		$ (2,633,071)		$ (115,647)			$ 9,858,644		$ 906,510	$ 93,056		$ 999,566			$ 10,858,210
Number of units (units)							50,650,000	206,425,656	10,580,884
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2018																		15,832		1,249,560	$ 2,051	11,355,751		(2,633,071)		(115,647)			9,858,644		906,510	93,056		999,566			10,858,210
Beginning balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2018																					206,425,656
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of common units to common stock																					$ 16	145,090							145,106		(145,106)			(145,106)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)																					1,622,940
Issuance of unvested restricted stock, net of forfeitures (shares)																					250,708
Common stock offering costs																						(976)							(976)								(976)
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs (shares)							8,400,000
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan								$ 2,259			$ 2,259						$ 2,259					2,259							2,259								2,259
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan (shares)								25,234													25,234
Issuance of preferred stock, net of offering costs							$ 203,264				203,264						203,264			203,264									203,264								203,264
Redemption of preferred stock							(353,290)	$ (11,760)			(365,050)						(365,050)			(353,290)				(11,760)					(365,050)								(365,050)
Amortization of share-based compensation								18,861			18,861						18,861					18,861							18,861								18,861
Reclassification of vested share-based awards																						(7,712)							(7,712)		7,712			7,712
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests																		1,754				(1,754)							(1,754)								(1,754)
Dividends declared on preferred stock																								(37,613)					(37,613)								(37,613)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units																		(338)						(449,525)					(449,525)		(19,825)			(19,825)			(469,350)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions																																62,748		62,748			62,748
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard	$ (6,318)	$ (6,318)	$ (6,318)	$ (6,318)	$ (6,318)	$ (6,318)												15,832		1,249,560	$ 2,051	11,355,751		(2,633,071)		(115,647)			9,858,644		906,510	93,056		999,566			10,858,210
Net income (loss)							37,613	$ 139,367	$ 5,604		182,584	$ 96			$ (359)		182,225	96						176,980					176,980		5,604	(359)		5,245			182,225
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments											41,843			$ 41,843			41,843									40,073			40,073		1,770			1,770			41,843
Decrease in other assets related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps										$ (10,379)			$ (10,379)			$ (10,379)	(10,379)								$ (9,943)			$ (9,943)		$ (436)			$ (436)			$ (10,379)	(10,379)
Other comprehensive income-fair value of interest rate swaps																										(4,071)			(4,071)		(179)			(179)			(4,250)
Other comprehensive loss-reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense											(4,250)			(4,250)			(4,250)
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2019	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)												17,344		1,099,534	$ 2,067	11,511,519		(2,961,307)		(89,588)			9,562,225		756,050	155,445		911,495			10,473,720
Ending balance (shares) at Jun. 30, 2019																					208,324,538
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)								1,622,940	(1,622,940)
Noncontrolling interests in operating partnership converted to shares of common stock								$ 145,106	$ (145,106)																												145,106
Issuance of unvested restricted stock, net of forfeitures (units)								250,708
Payment of offering costs								$ (976)			(976)						(976)
Issuance of common units, net of forfeitures (units)									412,105
Reclassification of vested share-based awards								(7,712)	$ 7,712
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests								1,754			1,754	(1,754)					1,754
Partners' Capital Account, Distributions							$ (37,613)	$ (449,525)	$ (19,825)		(506,963)	(338)					(506,963)
Distributions From Noncontrolling Interests In Consolidated Joint Ventures Subsidiary															(62,748)		(62,748)
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard																		17,678		1,452,983	$ 2,066	11,492,766		(2,767,708)		(91,699)			10,088,408		772,931	121,160		894,091			10,982,499
Number of units (units)							59,050,000	208,214,139	9,473,459
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2019																		17,678		1,452,983	$ 2,066	11,492,766		(2,767,708)		(91,699)			10,088,408		772,931	121,160		894,091			10,982,499
Beginning balance (shares) at Mar. 31, 2019																					208,214,139
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of common units to common stock																					$ 1	9,096							9,097		(9,097)			(9,097)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)																					105,064
Issuance of unvested restricted stock, net of forfeitures (shares)																					5,335
Common stock offering costs																				(159)		(601)							(760)								(760)
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs (shares)								0
Issuance of preferred stock, net of offering costs							$ 159				159						159
Redemption of preferred stock							(353,290)	$ (11,760)			(365,050)						(365,050)		$ (353,290)				$ (11,760)				$ (365,050)								$ (365,050)
Amortization of share-based compensation								10,461			10,461						10,461					10,461							10,461								10,461
Reclassification of vested share-based awards																						(392)							(392)		392			392
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests																		(189)				189							189								189
Dividends declared on preferred stock																								(17,284)					(17,284)								(17,284)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units																		(169)						(224,723)					(224,723)		(9,644)			(9,644)			(234,367)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions																																34,529		34,529			34,529
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)												17,344		1,099,534	$ 2,067	11,511,519		(2,961,307)		(89,588)			9,562,225		756,050	155,445		911,495			10,473,720
Net income (loss)							17,284	$ 42,884	$ 1,376		61,544	24			(244)		61,300	24						60,168					60,168		1,376	(244)		1,132			61,300
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments											10,963			10,963	0		10,963									10,506			10,506		457			457			10,963
Decrease in other assets related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps										(6,604)			(6,604)			(6,604)	(6,604)								(6,329)			(6,329)		(275)			(275)			(6,604)	(6,604)
Other comprehensive loss-reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense											(2,156)			(2,156)			(2,156)									(2,066)			(2,066)		(90)			(90)			(2,156)
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2019	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)												17,344		1,099,534	$ 2,067	11,511,519		(2,961,307)		(89,588)			9,562,225		756,050	155,445		911,495			10,473,720
Ending balance (shares) at Jun. 30, 2019																					208,324,538
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)								105,064	(105,064)
Noncontrolling interests in operating partnership converted to shares of common stock								$ 9,097	$ (9,097)
Issuance of unvested restricted stock, net of forfeitures (units)								5,335
Payment of offering costs								$ (601)			(601)						(601)
Issuance of common units, net of forfeitures (units)									1,654
Reclassification of vested share-based awards								(392)	$ 392
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests								189			189	(189)					189
Partners' Capital Account, Distributions							$ (17,284)	$ (224,723)	$ (9,644)		(251,651)	(169)					(251,651)
Distributions From Noncontrolling Interests In Consolidated Joint Ventures Subsidiary															(34,529)		(34,529)
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard	$ (6,318)	$ (6,318)	$ (6,318)	$ (6,318)	$ (6,318)	$ (6,318)												17,344		1,099,534	$ 2,067	11,511,519		(2,961,307)		(89,588)			9,562,225		756,050	155,445		911,495			10,473,720
Number of units (units)							44,450,000	208,324,538	9,370,049
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard																		41,465		1,434,420	2,073	11,577,320		(3,046,579)		(87,922)			9,879,312		$ 708,163	20,625		728,788			$ 10,608,100
Number of units (units)							58,250,000	208,900,758	8,843,155																						217,743,913						208,900,758
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2019																		41,465		1,434,420	$ 2,073	11,577,320		(3,046,579)		(87,922)			9,879,312		$ 708,163	20,625		728,788			$ 10,608,100
Beginning balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2019																					208,900,758
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of common units to common stock																					$ 8	70,274							70,282		(70,282)			(70,282)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)																					805,812
Common units and share-based awards issued in connection with InterXion combination								$ 6,985,052			6,985,052						6,985,052				$ 543	6,984,509							6,985,052								6,985,052
Common units and share-based awards issued in connection with InterXion combination (in shares)								54,298,595													54,298,595
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs																					$ 46	644,585							644,631								644,631
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs (shares)																					4,585,951
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan								$ 2,638			2,638						2,638					2,638							2,638								2,638
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan (shares)								25,234													25,234
Shares repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting								$ (3,500)			(3,500)						(3,500)					(4,750)							(4,750)								(4,750)
Amortization of share-based compensation								$ 36,480			36,480						36,480					37,730							37,730								37,730
Vesting of restricted stock, net (shares)								(217,277)													(217,277)
Reclassification of vested share-based awards																						(16,504)							(16,504)		16,504			16,504
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests																		3,491				(3,491)							(3,491)								(3,491)
Dividends declared on preferred stock																								(42,310)					(42,310)								(42,310)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units																		(350)						(596,481)					(596,481)		(19,150)			(19,150)			(615,631)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions												1,567			43,982		43,982	1,567														43,982		43,982			43,982
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard																		41,465		1,434,420	$ 2,073	11,577,320		(3,046,579)		(87,922)			9,879,312		708,163	20,625		728,788			10,608,100
Net income (loss)							$ 42,310	$ 256,535	$ 9,335		308,180	(3,188)			(316)		307,864	(3,188)						298,845					298,845		9,335	(316)		9,019			307,864
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments											(268,543)	(2,401)		(268,543)			(268,543)	(2,401)								(258,257)			(258,257)		(10,286)			(10,286)			(268,543)
Decrease in other assets related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps											(12,849)			(12,849)			(12,849)																				(12,849)
Other comprehensive income-fair value of interest rate swaps																									(12,393)			(12,393)		(456)			(456)			(12,849)
Other comprehensive loss-reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense											226			226			226									223			223		3			3			226
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2020																		40,584		1,434,420	$ 2,670	19,292,311		(3,386,525)		(358,349)			16,984,527		633,831	64,291		698,122			17,682,649
Ending balance (shares) at Jun. 30, 2020																					268,399,073
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)								805,812	(805,812)
Noncontrolling interests in operating partnership converted to shares of common stock								$ 70,282	$ (70,282)																												70,282
Issuance of common units, net of forfeitures (units)									250,476
Reclassification of vested share-based awards								(16,504)	$ 16,504
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests								(3,491)			(3,491)	3,491					(3,491)
Partners' Capital Account, Distributions							$ (42,310)	$ (596,481)	$ (19,150)		(657,941)	(350)					(657,941)
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard																		40,027		1,434,420	$ 2,622	18,606,766		(3,139,350)		(444,222)			16,460,236		656,266	60,038		716,304			17,176,540
Number of units (units)							58,250,000	263,595,562	8,473,386
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2020																		40,027		1,434,420	$ 2,622	18,606,766		(3,139,350)		(444,222)			16,460,236		656,266	60,038		716,304			17,176,540
Beginning balance (shares) at Mar. 31, 2020																					263,595,562
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of common units to common stock																					$ 2	18,043							18,045		(18,045)			(18,045)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)																					212,859
Common units and share-based awards issued in connection with InterXion combination								$ 9,800			9,800						9,800
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs																					$ 46	638,080							638,126								638,126
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs (shares)																					4,535,951
Shares repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting								(432)			(432)						(432)					(432)							(432)								(432)
Amortization of share-based compensation								$ 22,050			22,050						22,050					22,050							22,050								22,050
Vesting of restricted stock, net (shares)								54,701													54,701
Reclassification of vested share-based awards																						(1,497)							(1,497)		1,497			1,497
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests								$ (499)			(499)	499					(499)	499				(499)							(499)								(499)
Dividends declared on preferred stock																								(21,155)					(21,155)								(21,155)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units																		(175)						(300,851)					(300,851)		(10,128)			(10,128)			(310,979)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions																		515														4,506		4,506			4,506
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard																		40,584		1,434,420	$ 2,670	19,292,311		(3,386,525)		(358,349)			16,984,527		633,831	64,291		698,122			17,176,540
Net income (loss)							$ 21,155	$ 53,676	$ 1,682		76,513	(282)			(253)		76,260	(282)						74,831					74,831		1,682	(253)		1,429			76,260
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments											88,659			88,659	0		88,659									86,093			86,093		2,566			2,566			88,659
Decrease in other assets related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps										$ (1,011)			$ (1,011)			$ (1,011)	(1,011)								$ (981)			$ (981)		$ (30)			$ (30)			$ (1,011)	(1,011)
Common stock and share-based awards issued in connection with InterXion combination																						9,800							9,800								9,800
Other comprehensive loss-reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense											784			$ 784			784									761			761		23			23			784
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2020																		40,584		1,434,420	$ 2,670	19,292,311		(3,386,525)		(358,349)			16,984,527		633,831	64,291		698,122			17,682,649
Ending balance (shares) at Jun. 30, 2020																					268,399,073
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)								212,859	(212,859)
Noncontrolling interests in operating partnership converted to shares of common stock								$ 18,045	$ (18,045)
Issuance of common units, net of forfeitures (units)									27,292
Reclassification of vested share-based awards								(1,497)	$ 1,497
Partners' Capital Account, Distributions							$ (21,155)	$ (300,851)	$ (10,128)		$ (332,134)	(175)					(332,134)
Distributions From Noncontrolling Interests In Consolidated Joint Ventures Subsidiary												$ (515)			$ (4,506)		$ (4,506)
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard																		$ 40,584		$ 1,434,420	$ 2,670	$ 19,292,311		$ (3,386,525)		$ (358,349)			$ 16,984,527		$ 633,831	$ 64,291		$ 698,122			$ 17,682,649
Number of units (units)							58,250,000	268,399,073	8,287,819																						276,686,892						268,399,073