Debt of the Operating Partnership - Floating and Base Rate Borrowing (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) $ / $ $ / $ $ / £ $ / $ $ / € $ / $	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) $ / $ $ / $ $ / £ $ / $ $ / € $ / $	Feb. 04, 2021	Oct. 14, 2020	Aug. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) $ / £ $ / $ $ / € $ / $ $ / $ $ / $
Debt Instrument
Interest rate basis spread				0.90%
2.750% notes due 2023 | Subsequent Event
Debt Instrument
Stated interest rate					2.75%
Canadian dollar (CAD) | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument
Exchange rate | $ / $		0.79		0.79				0.77
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 13,413,013		$ 13,413,013
Early extinguishment charge			$ 900
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 540,184		$ 540,184				$ 245,766
Weighted-average interest rate		0.91%		0.91%				1.00%
Interest rate basis spread				0.90%
Commitment fee percentage				0.20%
Letters of credit issued		$ 60,800		$ 60,800
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Yen Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 46,943		$ 46,943				$ 146,451
Weighted-average interest rate		0.50%		0.50%				0.50%
Interest rate basis spread				0.50%
Commitment fee percentage				0.10%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 537,470		$ 537,470
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Unsecured term loans, net | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument
Weighted-average interest rate								2.39%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Senior Notes.
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		12,096,029		12,096,029
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Secured Debt
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		239,330		239,330
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 537,470		$ 537,470				$ 813,205
Weighted-average interest rate		1.16%		1.16%				2.62%
Interest rate basis spread				1.00%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans, net | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument
Weighted-average interest rate		1.20%		1.20%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 3.750% notes due 2030 | Unsecured senior notes
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 751,850		$ 751,850				$ 729,135
Stated interest rate		3.75%		3.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 3.950% notes due 2022 | Unsecured senior notes
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross								500,000
Stated interest rate		3.95%		3.95%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 3.950% notes due 2022 | Senior Notes.
Debt Instrument
Stated interest rate							3.95%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 3.625% notes due 2022 | Unsecured senior notes
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross								300,000
Stated interest rate		3.625%		3.625%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 3.625% notes due 2022 | Senior Notes.
Debt Instrument
Stated interest rate							3.625%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 4.750% notes due 2023 | Unsecured senior notes
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross								$ 397,710
Stated interest rate		4.75%		4.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 4.750% notes due 2023 | Senior Notes.
Debt Instrument
Early extinguishment charge		$ 49,800
Stated interest rate						4.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 3.950% 2022 Notes and 3.625% 2022 Notes | Senior Notes.
Debt Instrument
Early extinguishment charge			$ 52,100
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 2.750% notes due 2023
Debt Instrument
Stated interest rate		2.75%		2.75%				2.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 2.750% notes due 2023 | Unsecured senior notes
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 350,000		$ 350,000				$ 350,000
Stated interest rate		2.75%		2.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | 2.750% notes due 2023 | Senior Notes. | Subsequent Event
Debt Instrument
Early extinguishment charge	$ 17,500
Stated interest rate					2.75%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 493,241		$ 493,241				$ 99,315
Weighted-average interest rate		0.95%		0.95%				1.75%
Interest rate basis spread				0.90%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | U.S. dollar ($) | Unsecured term loans, net | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument
Weighted-average interest rate								2.44%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | U.S. dollar ($) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross								$ 300,000
Weighted-average interest rate								2.74%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | U.S. dollar ($) | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 40,000		$ 40,000
Weighted-average interest rate		1.05%		1.05%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | British pound sterling () | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument
Exchange rate | $ / £		1.37		1.37
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | British pound sterling () | Unsecured senior notes
Debt Instrument
Exchange rate | $ / £		1.37		1.37				1.33
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | British pound sterling () | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 47,845		$ 47,845
Weighted-average interest rate		0.93%		0.93%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Euro () | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument
Exchange rate | $ / €		1.22		1.22				1.12
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Euro () | Unsecured senior notes
Debt Instrument
Exchange rate | $ / €		1.22		1.22				1.12
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Euro () | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 284,633		$ 284,633				$ 44,852
Weighted-average interest rate		0.90%		0.90%				0.90%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Australian dollar (AUD) | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument
Exchange rate | $ / $								0.70
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Australian dollar (AUD) | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument
Exchange rate | $ / $								0.70
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Australian dollar (AUD) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 223,357		$ 223,357				$ 203,820
Weighted-average interest rate		1.02%		1.02%				1.85%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Australian dollar (AUD) | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross								$ 1,264
Weighted-average interest rate								1.74%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument
Exchange rate | $ / $								0.13
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 86,062		$ 86,062				$ 85,629
Weighted-average interest rate		1.27%		1.27%				3.60%
Exchange rate | $ / $		0.13		0.13
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Japanese yen (JPY) | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument
Exchange rate		0.01		0.01				0.01
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Japanese yen (JPY) | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument
Exchange rate | $ / $		0.77		0.77
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Singapore dollar (SGD) | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument
Exchange rate | $ / $		0.76		0.76				0.74
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Singapore dollar (SGD) | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument
Exchange rate | $ / $								0.74
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Singapore dollar (SGD) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 150,699		$ 150,699				$ 147,931
Weighted-average interest rate		1.14%		1.14%				2.68%
Exchange rate | $ / $		0.76		0.76
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Singapore dollar (SGD) | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 111,340		$ 111,340				$ 53,199
Weighted-average interest rate		1.02%		1.02%				2.46%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Canadian dollar (CAD) | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument
Exchange rate | $ / $		0.79		0.79
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Canadian dollar (CAD) | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument
Exchange rate | $ / $								0.77
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Canadian dollar (CAD) | Unsecured term loans, net | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument
Weighted-average interest rate								1.78%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Canadian dollar (CAD) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans, net
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 77,352		$ 77,352				$ 75,825
Weighted-average interest rate		1.47%		1.47%				3.00%
Exchange rate | $ / $		0.79		0.79
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Canadian dollar (CAD) | 2023 and 2024 Term Loan | Unsecured term loans, net | Interest Rate Swap
Debt Instrument
Weighted-average interest rate		1.78%		1.78%
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Canadian dollar (CAD) | Floating Rate | Global revolving credit facilities, net
Debt Instrument
Long-term debt, gross		$ 9,423		$ 9,423
Weighted-average interest rate		1.36%		1.36%
Digital Stout Holding, LLC | 3.750% notes due 2030
Debt Instrument
Stated interest rate		3.75%		3.75%				3.75%
Digital Stout Holding, LLC | 3.750% notes due 2030 | Unsecured senior notes
Debt Instrument
Stated interest rate		3.75%		3.75%