CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	$ 75,978	$ 61,324	$ 304,676	$ 182,321
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Gain on deconsolidation / disposition of properties, net			(304,801)	(67,497)
Gain on sale of marketable equity security			(17,883)	0
Unrealized loss (gain) on marketable equity security	(3,000)	(2,400)	2,375	(18,913)
Impairment of investments in real estate	0	0	0	5,351
Equity in loss (earnings) of unconsolidated joint ventures	7,632	(6,962)	86,628	(16,179)
Distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures			9,231	20,856
Write-off due to early lease terminations			135	9,634
Depreciation and amortization of buildings and improvements, tenant improvements and acquired ground leases			461,940	409,362
Amortization of customer relationship value, acquired in-place lease value and deferred leasing costs			178,682	192,686
Amortization of share-based compensation			35,580	17,060
Non-cash amortization of terminated swaps			524	523
Allowance for doubtful accounts			3,905	4,813
Amortization of deferred financing costs			7,921	7,399
Loss from early extinguishment of debt			632	4,090
Amortization of debt discount/premium			1,899	1,228
Amortization of acquired above-market leases and acquired below-market leases, net			7,087	10,163
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts and other receivables			15,115	(45,028)
Deferred rent			(13,438)	(28,015)
Deferred leasing costs			(19,212)	(14,133)
Other assets			(30,810)	(24,061)
Accounts payable, operating lease liabilities and other accrued liabilities			(17,497)	176,367
Security deposits and prepaid rents			(319)	(715)
Net cash provided by operating activities			712,370	827,312
Cash flows from investing activities:
Improvements to investments in real estate			(854,885)	(780,571)
Deconsolidation of Ascenty cash			0	(97,081)
Proceeds from joint ventures transactions			0	702,439
Proceeds from sale of marketable equity security	70,000	0	70,019	0
Cash assumed in acquisitions			116,738	0
Acquisitions of real estate			(351,186)	(59,397)
Proceeds from sale of assets, net of sales costs			526,362	0
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures			(94,169)	(66,622)
Prepaid construction costs and other investments			(93,032)	(76,863)
Improvement advances to tenants			(43,963)	(25,029)
Collection of improvement advances to tenants			45,301	16,611
Net cash used in investing activities			(678,815)	(386,513)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on global revolving credit facilities			1,365,607	2,182,573
Repayments on global revolving credit facilities			(1,652,878)	(2,418,142)
Repayments on unsecured term loans			0	(375,000)
Borrowings on unsecured senior notes			2,357,417	2,325,566
Repayments on unsecured senior notes			(1,435,272)	(1,368,892)
Principal payments on secured debt			(1,090)	(315)
Payment of loan fees and costs			(15,440)	(16,723)
Premium paid for early extinguishment of debt			0	(29,701)
Capital contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net			36,876	62,748
Proceeds from common and preferred stock offerings, net			639,881	202,288
Redemption of preferred stock			0	(365,050)
Proceeds from equity plans			2,638	2,259
Payment of dividends to preferred stockholders			(42,310)	(37,613)
Payment of dividends to common stockholders and distributions to noncontrolling interests in operating partnership			(850,601)	(686,929)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			404,828	(522,931)
Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash			438,383	(82,132)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash			(16,603)	(12,018)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period			97,253	135,222
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	519,033	41,072	519,033	41,072
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized			151,517	169,468
Cash paid for income taxes			8,559	7,931
Supplementary disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Change in net assets related to foreign currency translation adjustments			(268,543)	41,843
Decrease in other assets related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps	(1,011)	(6,604)	(12,849)	(10,379)
Noncontrolling interests in operating partnership converted to shares of common stock			70,282	145,106
Accrual for additions to investments in real estate and tenant improvement advances included in accounts payable and accrued expenses			202,804	214,181
Decrease to goodwill and deferred tax liability (classified within accounts payable and other accrued liabilities)				(9,436)
Allocation of purchase price of real estate/investment in partnership to:
Investments in real estate			372,516	0
Cash and cash equivalents			8,190	0
Accounts receivables			3,114	0
Customer relationship value and intangibles			68,406	0
Other assets			843	0
Secured debt			(135,000)	0
Accounts payables and other accrued liabilities			(4,602)	0
Acquired below-market leases			(2,540)	0
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint venture			(5,715)	0
Cash paid for acquisition of real estate			305,212	0
Allocation of Interxion purchase price:
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	1,375,427		1,375,427
Finance lease obligations	(47,957)		(47,957)
Deconsolidation of Ascenty and consolidated joint venture:
Investment in real estate	(19,620,509)		(19,620,509)
Account receivables	(542,750)		(542,750)
Goodwill	(7,791,522)		(7,791,522)
Other assets	(333,916)		(333,916)
Secured debt	238,826		238,826
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	1,828,290		1,828,290
Non-controlling interest in consolidated joint venture	1,033,235		1,033,235
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net	(358,349)		(358,349)
Deconsolidation of Ascenty cash			0	(97,081)
InterXion
Allocation of Interxion purchase price:
Land	159,467	0	159,467	0
Building and improvements (including finance lease right-of-use assets)	3,246,522	0	3,246,522	0
Construction in progress	273,590	0	273,590	0
Land held for development	33,447	0	33,447	0
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	556,865	0	556,865	0
Cash and cash equivalents	108,548	0	108,548	0
Accounts receivable	218,868	0	218,868	0
Goodwill	4,443,856	0	4,443,856	0
Customer relationship value	1,001,568	0	1,001,568	0
Other intangibles	44,943		44,943
Operating lease liabilities	(556,865)	0	(556,865)	0
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	(230,585)	0	(230,585)	0
Deferred tax liability, net	(535,990)	0	(535,990)	0
Other working capital liabilities, net	(68,947)	0	(68,947)	0
Deconsolidation of Ascenty and consolidated joint venture:
Goodwill	(4,424,262)		(4,424,262)
InterXion | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Allocation of Interxion purchase price:
Long term debt	(130,327)	0	(130,327)	0
InterXion | Unsecured Debt
Allocation of Interxion purchase price:
Long term debt	(1,457,635)	0	(1,457,635)	0
InterXion | Secured Debt
Allocation of Interxion purchase price:
Long term debt	(74,316)	0	(74,316)	0
Preferred Stock | InterXion
Allocation of Interxion purchase price:
Equity consideration			6,985,052	0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income	75,978	61,324	304,676	182,321
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Gain on deconsolidation / disposition of properties, net			(304,801)	(67,497)
Gain on sale of marketable equity security			(17,883)	0
Unrealized loss (gain) on marketable equity security			2,375	(18,913)
Impairment of investments in real estate	0	0	0	5,351
Equity in loss (earnings) of unconsolidated joint ventures	7,632	(6,962)	86,628	(16,179)
Distributions from unconsolidated joint ventures			9,231	20,856
Write-off due to early lease terminations			135	9,634
Depreciation and amortization of buildings and improvements, tenant improvements and acquired ground leases			461,940	409,362
Amortization of customer relationship value, acquired in-place lease value and deferred leasing costs			178,682	192,686
Amortization of share-based compensation			35,580	17,060
Non-cash amortization of terminated swaps			524	523
Allowance for doubtful accounts			3,905	4,813
Amortization of deferred financing costs			7,921	7,399
Loss from early extinguishment of debt			632	4,090
Amortization of debt discount/premium			1,899	1,228
Amortization of acquired above-market leases and acquired below-market leases, net			7,087	10,163
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Accounts and other receivables			15,115	(45,028)
Deferred rent			(13,438)	(28,015)
Deferred leasing costs			(19,212)	(14,133)
Other assets			(30,810)	(24,061)
Accounts payable, operating lease liabilities and other accrued liabilities			(17,497)	176,367
Security deposits and prepaid rents			(319)	(715)
Net cash provided by operating activities			712,370	827,312
Cash flows from investing activities:
Improvements to investments in real estate			(854,885)	(780,571)
Deconsolidation of Ascenty cash			0	(97,081)
Proceeds from joint ventures transactions			0	702,439
Proceeds from sale of marketable equity security			70,019	0
Cash assumed in acquisitions			116,738	0
Acquisitions of real estate			(351,186)	(59,397)
Proceeds from sale of assets, net of sales costs			526,362	0
Investments in unconsolidated joint ventures			(94,169)	(66,622)
Prepaid construction costs and other investments			(93,032)	(76,863)
Improvement advances to tenants			(43,963)	(25,029)
Collection of improvement advances to tenants			45,301	16,611
Net cash used in investing activities			(678,815)	(386,513)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Borrowings on global revolving credit facilities			1,365,607	2,182,573
Repayments on global revolving credit facilities			(1,652,878)	(2,418,142)
Repayments on unsecured term loans			0	(375,000)
Borrowings on unsecured senior notes			2,357,417	2,325,566
Repayments on unsecured senior notes			(1,435,272)	(1,368,892)
Principal payments on secured debt			(1,090)	(315)
Payment of loan fees and costs			(15,440)	(16,723)
Premium paid for early extinguishment of debt			0	(29,701)
Capital contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net			36,876	62,748
General partner contributions			642,519	204,547
General partner distributions			0	(365,050)
Payment of dividends to preferred stockholders			(42,310)	(37,613)
Payment of dividends to common stockholders and distributions to noncontrolling interests in operating partnership			(850,601)	(686,929)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities			404,828	(522,931)
Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash			438,383	(82,132)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash			(16,603)	(12,018)
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period			97,253	135,222
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period	519,033	41,072	519,033	41,072
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized			151,517	169,468
Cash paid for income taxes			8,559	7,931
Supplementary disclosure of noncash investing and financing activities:
Change in net assets related to foreign currency translation adjustments			(268,543)	41,843
Decrease in other assets related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps	(1,011)	(6,604)	(12,849)	(10,379)
Limited Partner common units converted to General Partner common units			70,282	145,106
Accrual for additions to investments in real estate and tenant improvement advances included in accounts payable and accrued expenses			202,804	214,181
Decrease to goodwill and deferred tax liability (classified within accounts payable and other accrued liabilities)			0	(9,436)
Allocation of purchase price of real estate/investment in partnership to:
Investments in real estate			372,516	0
Cash and cash equivalents			8,190	0
Accounts receivables			3,114	0
Customer relationship value and intangibles			68,406	0
Other assets			843	0
Secured debt			(135,000)	0
Accounts payables and other accrued liabilities			(4,602)	0
Acquired below-market leases			(2,540)	0
Noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint venture			(5,715)	0
Cash paid for acquisition of real estate			305,212	0
Allocation of Interxion purchase price:
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	1,375,427		1,375,427
Other intangibles	44,943	0	44,943	0
Finance lease obligations	(47,957)		(47,957)
Deconsolidation of Ascenty and consolidated joint venture:
Investment in real estate	(19,620,509)		(19,620,509)
Account receivables	(542,750)		(542,750)
Goodwill	(7,791,522)		(7,791,522)
Other assets	(333,916)		(333,916)
Secured debt	238,826		238,826
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	1,828,290		1,828,290
Non-controlling interest in consolidated joint venture	1,033,235		1,033,235
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net	(372,575)		(372,575)
Deconsolidation of Ascenty cash			0	(97,081)
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | InterXion
Allocation of Interxion purchase price:
Land	159,467	0	159,467	0
Building and improvements (including finance lease right-of-use assets)	3,246,522	0	3,246,522	0
Construction in progress	273,590	0	273,590	0
Land held for development	33,447	0	33,447	0
Operating lease right-of-use assets, net	556,865	0	556,865	0
Cash and cash equivalents	108,548	0	108,548	0
Accounts receivable	218,868	0	218,868	0
Goodwill	4,443,856	0	4,443,856	0
Long term debt	(130,327)	0	(130,327)	0
Operating lease liabilities	(556,865)	0	(556,865)	0
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	(230,585)	0	(230,585)	0
Deferred tax liability, net	(535,990)	0	(535,990)	0
Other working capital liabilities, net	(68,947)	0	(68,947)	0
Equity consideration			6,985,052	0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | InterXion | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Allocation of Interxion purchase price:
Customer relationship value	1,001,568	0	1,001,568	0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | InterXion | Unsecured Debt
Allocation of Interxion purchase price:
Long term debt	(1,457,635)	0	(1,457,635)	0
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | InterXion | Mortgage notes payable and unsecured debt
Allocation of Interxion purchase price:
Long term debt	$ (74,316)	0	$ (74,316)	0
Ascenty Acquisition
Cash flows from investing activities:
Deconsolidation of Ascenty cash				(97,081)
Contribution of assets and liabilities to unconsolidated joint venture:
Recognition of retained investment in unconsolidated joint ventures		727,439		727,439
Deconsolidation of Ascenty and consolidated joint venture:
Investment in real estate		(362,951)		(362,951)
Account receivables		(24,977)		(24,977)
Acquired in-place lease value, deferred leasing costs and intangibles		(480,128)		(480,128)
Goodwill		(967,189)		(967,189)
Other assets		(31,099)		(31,099)
Secured debt		571,873		571,873
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities		72,449		72,449
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net		(21,687)		(21,687)
Deconsolidation of Ascenty cash				(97,081)
Net carrying value of assets and liabilities contributed				(1,340,790)
Recognition of retained investment in unconsolidated joint ventures		727,439		727,439
Ascenty Acquisition | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Cash flows from investing activities:
Deconsolidation of Ascenty cash				(97,081)
Contribution of assets and liabilities to unconsolidated joint venture:
Recognition of retained investment in unconsolidated joint ventures		727,439		727,439
Deconsolidation of Ascenty and consolidated joint venture:
Investment in real estate		(362,951)		(362,951)
Account receivables		(24,977)		(24,977)
Acquired in-place lease value, deferred leasing costs and intangibles		(480,128)		(480,128)
Goodwill		(967,189)		(967,189)
Other assets		(31,099)		(31,099)
Secured debt		571,873		571,873
Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities		72,449		72,449
Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net		(21,687)		(21,687)
Deconsolidation of Ascenty cash				(97,081)
Net carrying value of assets and liabilities contributed				(1,340,790)
Recognition of retained investment in unconsolidated joint ventures		$ 727,439		$ 727,439