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. Potentially dilutive Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	General Partner Preferred Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Potentially dilutive Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	General Partner Preferred Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	General Partner Common Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Potentially dilutive Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	General Partner Common Units Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Potentially dilutive Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	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. Potentially dilutive Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Total Partners' Capital Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Potentially dilutive Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	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. Potentially dilutive Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Potentially dilutive Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Digital Realty Trust, L.P. Interest Rate Swap	Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests -- Operating Partnership	Preferred Stock Potentially dilutive Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Preferred Stock Potentially dilutive Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Dividends in Excess of Earnings Potentially dilutive Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Accumulated Dividends in Excess of Earnings Potentially dilutive Series I 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 G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Total Stockholders' Equity Potentially dilutive Series I 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 G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock	Potentially dilutive Series I 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																														$ 18	163,843									163,861		(163,861)			(163,861)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)																														1,841,692
Issuance of unvested restricted stock, net of forfeitures (shares)																														252,122
Common stock offering costs																															(1,258)									(1,258)									(1,258)
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs (shares)									8,400,000
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan												$ 5,462					$ 5,462								$ 5,462						5,462									5,462									5,462
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan (shares)												63,774																		63,774
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												28,774					28,774								28,774						28,774									28,774									28,774
Reclassification of vested share-based awards																															(7,962)									(7,962)		7,962			7,962
Reclassification of stock to accounts payable and other accrued liabilities																						$ 0																								$ 0
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests																										3,630					(3,630)									(3,630)									(3,630)
Dividends declared on preferred stock																																		(54,283)						(54,283)									(54,283)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units																										(507)								(674,713)						(674,713)		(29,315)			(29,315)				(704,028)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions																																											60,961		60,961				60,961
Deconsolidation of consolidated joint venture																					$ (110,086)				(110,086)																		(110,086)		(110,086)				(110,086)
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)									54,283			$ 189,194	$ 7,865				251,342	$ 135			(1,582)				249,760	135								243,477						243,477		7,865	(1,582)		6,283				249,760
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments																	66,511			$ 66,511					66,511											63,725				63,725		2,786			2,786				66,511
Decrease in other assets related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps																									(11,379)																								(11,379)
Other comprehensive income-fair value of interest rate swaps																$ (11,379)			$ (11,379)					$ (11,379)											$ (10,901)	(5,802)			$ (10,901)	(5,802)	$ (478)	(253)		$ (478)	(253)			$ (11,379)	(6,055)
Reclassification to interest expense from interest rate swaps																	(6,055)			(6,055)					(6,055)																								(6,055)
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2019	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)																				19,090			1,099,534	$ 2,069	11,540,980			(3,136,668)		(68,625)				9,437,290		731,216	42,349		773,565				10,210,855
Ending balance (shares) at Sep. 30, 2019																														208,583,244
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)												1,841,692	(1,841,692)
Noncontrolling interests in operating partnership converted to shares of common stock												$ 163,861	$ (163,861)																																				163,861
Issuance of unvested restricted stock, net of forfeitures (units)												252,122
Payment of offering costs												$ (1,258)					(1,258)								(1,258)
Issuance of common units, net of forfeitures (units)													404,789
Reclassification of vested share-based awards												(7,962)	$ 7,962
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units												3,630					3,630	(3,630)							3,630
Partners' Capital Account, Distributions									$ (54,283)			$ (674,713)	$ (29,315)				(758,311)	(507)							(758,311)
Distributions From Noncontrolling Interests In Consolidated Joint Ventures Subsidiary																					(60,961)				(60,961)
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard																										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
Beginning balance at Jun. 30, 2019																										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
Beginning balance (shares) at Jun. 30, 2019																														208,324,538
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of common units to common stock																														$ 2	18,753									18,755		(18,755)			(18,755)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)																														218,752
Issuance of unvested restricted stock, net of forfeitures (shares)																														1,414
Common stock offering costs																															(282)									(282)									(282)
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan												$ 3,203					3,203								3,203						3,203									3,203									3,203
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan (shares)												38,540																		38,540
Amortization of share-based compensation												$ 9,913					9,913								9,913						9,913									9,913									9,913
Reclassification of vested share-based awards																															(250)									(250)		250			250
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests																										1,876					(1,876)									(1,876)									(1,876)
Dividends declared on preferred stock																																		(16,670)						(16,670)									(16,670)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units																										(169)								(225,188)						(225,188)		(9,490)			(9,490)				(234,678)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of contributions																																											(1,787)		(1,787)				(1,787)
Deconsolidation of consolidated joint venture																					(110,086)				(110,086)																		(110,086)		(110,086)				(110,086)
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)																				19,090			1,099,534	$ 2,069	11,540,980			(3,136,668)		(68,625)				9,437,290		731,216	42,349		773,565				10,210,855
Net income (loss)									$ 16,670			$ 49,827	$ 2,261				68,758	39			(1,223)				67,535	39								66,497						66,497		2,261	(1,223)		1,038				67,535
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments																	24,668			24,668	0				24,668											23,652				23,652		1,016			1,016				24,668
Decrease in other assets related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps																									(1,000)																								(1,000)
Other comprehensive income-fair value of interest rate swaps																(1,000)			(1,000)					(1,000)											(958)				(958)		(42)			(42)				(1,000)
Reclassification to interest expense from interest rate swaps																	(1,805)			(1,805)					(1,805)											(1,731)				(1,731)		(74)			(74)				(1,805)
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2019	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)	(6,318)																				19,090			1,099,534	$ 2,069	11,540,980			(3,136,668)		(68,625)				9,437,290		731,216	42,349		773,565				10,210,855
Ending balance (shares) at Sep. 30, 2019																														208,583,244
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)												218,752	(218,752)
Noncontrolling interests in operating partnership converted to shares of common stock												$ 18,755	$ (18,755)
Issuance of unvested restricted stock, net of forfeitures (units)												1,414
Payment of offering costs												$ (282)					(282)								(282)
Issuance of common units, net of forfeitures (units)													(7,316)
Reclassification of vested share-based awards												(250)	$ 250
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units												(1,876)					(1,876)	1,876							(1,876)
Partners' Capital Account, Distributions									$ (16,670)			$ (225,188)	$ (9,490)				(251,348)	(169)							(251,348)
Distributions From Noncontrolling Interests In Consolidated Joint Ventures Subsidiary																					1,787				1,787
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard	$ (6,318)	$ (6,318)	$ (6,318)	$ (6,318)	$ (6,318)	$ (6,318)																				19,090			1,099,534	$ 2,069	11,540,980			(3,136,668)		(68,625)				9,437,290		731,216	42,349		773,565				10,210,855
Number of units (units)									44,450,000			208,583,244	9,143,981
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																														$ 9	80,577									80,586		(80,586)			(80,586)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)																														927,779
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																														$ 159	1,889,575									1,889,734									1,889,734
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs (shares)																														15,915,673
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan												$ 6,503					6,503								6,503						6,503									6,503									6,503
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan (shares)												58,136																		58,136
Shares repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting												$ (7,320)					(7,320)								(7,320)						(8,570)									(8,570)									(8,570)
Redemption of preferred stock								$ (242,012)			$ (7,988)				$ (250,000)								$ (250,000)					$ (242,012)					$ (7,988)					$ (250,000)									$ (250,000)
Amortization of share-based compensation												$ 56,814					56,814								56,814						58,064									58,064									58,064
Vesting of restricted stock, net (shares)												(180,320)																		(180,320)
Reclassification of vested share-based awards																															(17,116)									(17,116)		17,116			17,116
Reclassification of stock to accounts payable and other accrued liabilities							$ (241,468)			$ (8,532)				$ (250,000)								(250,000)					$ (241,468)					$ (8,532)					$ (250,000)									(250,000)
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests																										4,217					(4,217)									(4,217)									(4,217)
Dividends declared on preferred stock																																		(63,022)						(63,022)									(63,022)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units																										(525)								(899,487)						(899,487)		(28,464)			(28,464)				(927,951)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions																		2,089			87,645				87,645	2,089																	87,645		87,645				87,645
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)									$ 63,022			$ 235,685	$ 8,354				307,061	(3,535)			(304)				306,757	(3,535)								298,707						298,707		8,354	(304)		8,050				306,757
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments																	(34,796)	(2,446)		(34,796)					(34,796)	(2,446)										(31,121)				(31,121)		(3,675)			(3,675)				(34,796)
Decrease in other assets related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps																									(12,711)																								(12,711)
Other comprehensive income-fair value of interest rate swaps																	(12,711)			(12,711)					(12,711)										(12,259)				(12,259)		(452)			(452)				(12,711)
Reclassification to interest expense from interest rate swaps																	7,899			7,899					7,899											7,679				7,679		220			220				7,899
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2020																										41,265			950,940	$ 2,784	20,566,645			(3,726,901)		(123,623)				17,669,845		620,676	107,966		728,642				18,398,487
Ending balance (shares) at Sep. 30, 2020																														279,920,621
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)												927,779	(927,779)
Noncontrolling interests in operating partnership converted to shares of common stock												$ 80,586	$ (80,586)																																				80,586
Issuance of common units, net of forfeitures (units)													251,285
Reclassification of vested share-based awards												(17,116)	$ 17,116
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units												(4,217)					(4,217)	4,217							(4,217)
Partners' Capital Account, Distributions									$ (63,022)			$ (899,487)	$ (28,464)				(990,973)	(525)							(990,973)
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
Beginning 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
Beginning balance (shares) at Jun. 30, 2020																														268,399,073
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of common units to common stock																														$ 1	10,303									10,304		(10,304)			(10,304)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)																														121,967
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs																														$ 113	1,244,990									1,245,103									1,245,103
Issuance of common stock, net of offering costs (shares)																														11,329,722
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan												$ 3,865					3,865								3,865						3,865									3,865									3,865
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan (shares)												32,902																		32,902
Shares repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting												$ (3,820)					(3,820)								(3,820)						(3,820)									(3,820)									(3,820)
Redemption of preferred stock								$ (242,012)			$ (7,988)				$ (250,000)								$ (250,000)					$ (242,012)					$ (7,988)					$ (250,000)									$ (250,000)
Amortization of share-based compensation												$ 20,334					20,334								20,334						20,334									20,334									20,334
Vesting of restricted stock, net (shares)												36,957																		36,957
Reclassification of vested share-based awards																															(612)									(612)		612			612
Reclassification of stock to accounts payable and other accrued liabilities							$ (241,468)							$ (250,000)								$ (250,000)					$ (241,468)					$ (8,532)					$ (250,000)									$ (250,000)
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests																										726					(726)									(726)									(726)
Dividends declared on preferred stock																																		(20,712)						(20,712)									(20,712)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units																										(175)								(303,006)						(303,006)		(9,314)			(9,314)				(312,320)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions																		522			43,663				43,663	522																	43,663		43,663				43,663
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard																										41,265			950,940	$ 2,784	20,566,645			(3,726,901)		(123,623)				17,669,845		620,676	107,966		728,642				17,682,649
Net income (loss)									$ 20,712			$ (20,850)	$ (981)				(1,119)	(347)			12				(1,107)	(347)								(138)						(138)		(981)	12		(969)				(1,107)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments																	233,747	(45)		233,747	$ 0				233,747	(45)										227,136				227,136		6,611			6,611				233,747
Decrease in other assets related to change in fair value of interest rate swaps																									137																								137
Other comprehensive income-fair value of interest rate swaps																$ 138			$ 138					$ 138											$ 134				$ 134		$ 4			$ 4				$ 138
Reclassification to interest expense from interest rate swaps																	7,673			$ 7,673					7,673											7,456				7,456		217			217				7,673
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2020																										41,265			950,940	$ 2,784	20,566,645			(3,726,901)		(123,623)				17,669,845		620,676	107,966		728,642				18,398,487
Ending balance (shares) at Sep. 30, 2020																														279,920,621
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)												121,967	(121,967)
Noncontrolling interests in operating partnership converted to shares of common stock												$ 10,304	$ (10,304)
Issuance of common units, net of forfeitures (units)													809
Reclassification of vested share-based awards												(612)	$ 612
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units												726					726	(726)							726
Partners' Capital Account, Distributions									$ (20,712)			$ (303,006)	$ (9,314)				$ (333,032)	$ (175)							$ (333,032)
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard																										$ 41,265			$ 950,940	$ 2,784	$ 20,566,645			$ (3,726,901)		$ (123,623)				$ 17,669,845		$ 620,676	$ 107,966		$ 728,642				$ 18,398,487
Number of units (units)									38,250,000			279,920,621	8,166,661																													288,087,282							279,920,621