Earnings per Common Share or Unit - Summary of Basic and Diluted Earnings per Share and Unit (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2021	Mar. 31, 2020
Class of Stock
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 372,406	$ 202,859
Weighted average units outstanding-basic (shares/units)	281,094,798	222,163,324
Potentially dilutive common shares/units:
Unvested incentive units (shares/units)	323,921	224,558
Unvested restricted stock (shares/units)	158,022	158,022
Forward equity offering (shares/units)		1,392,934
Market performance-based awards (shares/units)	340,220	535,457
Weighted average shares/units outstanding-diluted (shares/units)	281,916,961	224,474,295
Income per share/unit:
Basic (in dollars per share/unit)	$ 1.32	$ 0.91
Diluted (in dollars per share/unit)	$ 1.32	$ 0.90
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Class of Stock
Net income available to common stockholders	$ 382,206	$ 210,659
Weighted average units outstanding-basic (shares/units)	288,377,282	230,442,659
Potentially dilutive common shares/units:
Unvested incentive units (shares/units)	323,921	224,558
Unvested restricted stock (shares/units)	158,022	158,022
Forward equity offering (shares/units)		1,392,934
Market performance-based awards (shares/units)	340,220	535,457
Weighted average shares/units outstanding-diluted (shares/units)	289,199,445	232,753,630
Income per share/unit:
Basic (in dollars per share/unit)	$ 1.32	$ 0.91
Diluted (in dollars per share/unit)	$ 1.32	$ 0.90