Equity and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss, Net (Schedule of Dividends) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 15, 2020	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 08, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Preferred stock, liquidation preference per share/unit (in dollars per share)		$ 25.00		$ 25.00
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Preferred stock, liquidation preference per share/unit (in dollars per share)		$ 25.00		$ 25.00
Potentially dilutive Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		$ 9,999
Preferred stock dividend per share amount (in dollars per share)		$ 1.65625
Potentially dilutive Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock | February 26, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		$ 3,333
Potentially dilutive Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock | May 12, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		3,333
Potentially dilutive Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock | August 11, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		3,333
Potentially dilutive Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		$ 11,016
Preferred stock dividend per share amount (in dollars per share)		$ 1.46875
Redemption price (in dollars per share)	$ 25.00		$ 25.00
Preferred stock, liquidation preference per share/unit (in dollars per share)	$ 0.057118		$ 25.29545
Offering costs	$ 8,200		$ 8,000
Potentially dilutive Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock | February 26, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		$ 3,672
Potentially dilutive Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock | May 12, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		3,672
Potentially dilutive Series G Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock | August 11, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		3,672
Potentially dilutive Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		$ 7,938
Preferred stock dividend per share amount (in dollars per share)		$ 1.58750
Redemption price (in dollars per share)	$ 25.0577118
Redemption premium	$ 8,500
Potentially dilutive Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock | February 26, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		$ 3,969
Potentially dilutive Series I Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock | May 12, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		3,969
Potentially dilutive Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		$ 7,875
Preferred stock dividend per share amount (in dollars per share)		$ 1.31250
Potentially dilutive Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock | February 26, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		$ 2,625
Potentially dilutive Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock | May 12, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		2,625
Potentially dilutive Series J Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock | August 11, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		2,625
Potentially dilutive Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		$ 9,213
Preferred stock dividend per share amount (in dollars per share)		$ 1.46250
Potentially dilutive Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock | February 26, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		$ 3,071
Potentially dilutive Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock | May 12, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		3,071
Potentially dilutive Series K Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock | August 11, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		3,071
Potentially dilutive Series L Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Units
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		$ 13,455
Preferred stock dividend per share amount (in dollars per share)		$ 1.30000
Potentially dilutive Series L Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Units | February 26, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		$ 4,485
Potentially dilutive Series L Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Units | May 12, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		4,485
Potentially dilutive Series L Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Units | August 11, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		4,485
Common Stock
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		$ 899,641
Common stock dividend per share amount (in dollars per share)		$ 4.48000
Common Stock | February 26, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, common stock		$ 295,630
Common Stock | May 12, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		301,005
Common Stock | August 11, 2020
Dividends Payable [Line Items]
Dividends, preferred stock		$ 303,006