Debt of the Operating Partnership (Floating and Base Rate Borrowing) (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($) $ / ¥ $ / $ $ / £ $ / $ $ / $ $ / $ $ / €	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($) $ / ¥ $ / $ $ / £ $ / $ $ / $ $ / $ $ / €	Aug. 03, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) $ / € $ / $ $ / $ $ / ¥ $ / $ $ / $ $ / £
3.750% notes due 2030 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	3.75%	3.75%
4.750% notes due 2023 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Stated interest rate	4.75%	4.75%
Canadian dollar (CAD) | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.75	0.75		0.77
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 12,984,735	$ 12,984,735
Early extinguishment charge	900
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	133,146	$ 133,146		$ 245,766
Interest rate basis spread		0.90%
Commitment fee percentage		0.20%
Letters of credit issued	55,300	$ 55,300
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Yen Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 45,993	$ 45,993		$ 146,451
Weighted-average interest rate	0.50%	0.50%		0.50%
Commitment fee percentage		0.50%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 513,747	$ 513,747
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loans, net | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate	1.25%	1.25%		2.39%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 12,098,842	$ 12,098,842
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Secured Debt
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	239,000	$ 239,000
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest rate basis spread		1.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 513,747	$ 513,747		$ 813,205
Weighted-average interest rate	1.21%	1.21%		2.62%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 3.750% notes due 2030 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 710,600	$ 710,600		$ 729,135
Stated interest rate	3.75%	3.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 3.950% notes due 2022 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 0	$ 0		500,000
Stated interest rate	3.95%	3.95%	3.95%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 3.625% notes due 2022 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 0	$ 0		300,000
Stated interest rate	3.625%	3.625%	3.625%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 4.750% notes due 2023 | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 387,600	$ 387,600		397,710
Stated interest rate	4.75%	4.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 3.950% 2022 Notes and 3.625% 2022 Notes | Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Early extinguishment charge	$ 52,100
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 87,153	$ 87,153		$ 99,315
Weighted-average interest rate	1.03%	1.03%		1.75%
Interest rate basis spread		0.90%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Floating Rate | Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 133,146	$ 133,146		$ 245,766
Weighted-average interest rate	0.84%	0.84%		1.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | U.S. dollar ($) | Unsecured term loans, net | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate				2.44%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | U.S. dollar ($) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross				$ 300,000
Weighted-average interest rate				2.74%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | British pound sterling () | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / £	1.29	1.29		1.33
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Euro () | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / €	1.17	1.17		1.12
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Euro () | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross				$ 44,852
Weighted-average interest rate				0.90%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Australian dollar (AUD) | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.72	0.72		0.70
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Australian dollar (AUD) | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.72	0.72		0.70
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Australian dollar (AUD) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 207,913	$ 207,913		$ 203,820
Weighted-average interest rate	1.09%	1.09%		1.85%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Australian dollar (AUD) | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 2,865	$ 2,865		$ 1,264
Weighted-average interest rate	0.99%	0.99%		1.74%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.13	0.13		0.13
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 86,089	$ 86,089		$ 85,629
Weighted-average interest rate	1.40%	1.40%		3.60%
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. | Singapore dollar (SGD) | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.73	0.73		0.74
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Singapore dollar (SGD) | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.73	0.73		0.74
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Singapore dollar (SGD) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 145,801	$ 145,801		$ 147,931
Weighted-average interest rate	1.13%	1.13%		2.68%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Singapore dollar (SGD) | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 84,288	$ 84,288		$ 53,199
Weighted-average interest rate	1.03%	1.03%		2.46%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Canadian dollar (CAD) | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Exchange rate | $ / $	0.75	0.75		0.77
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Canadian dollar (CAD) | Unsecured term loans, net | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Weighted-average interest rate	1.78%	1.78%		1.78%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Canadian dollar (CAD) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt, gross	$ 73,944	$ 73,944		$ 75,825
Weighted-average interest rate	1.49%	1.49%		3.00%