CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests -- Operating Partnership	Preferred Stock Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock	Preferred Stock	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Dividends in Excess of Earnings Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock	Accumulated Dividends in Excess of Earnings	Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net Interest Rate Swap	Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net	Total Noncontrolling Interests Interest Rate Swap	Total Noncontrolling Interests	Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock	Interest Rate Swap Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Interest Rate Swap	Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Joint Ventures Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Redeemable Interests Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Digital Realty Trust, L.P.	Total
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 42,011		$ 950,940	$ 2,788	$ 20,626,897		$ (3,997,938)		$ 135,010		$ 728,639							$ 18,446,336
Beginning balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2020				280,289,726
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of common units to common stock				$ 13	111,384						(111,397)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)				1,340,675
Common stock and share-based awards issued in connection with InterXion combination				$ 1	18,269												$ 18,270	18,270
Common stock and share-based awards issued in connection with InterXion combination (in shares)				125,395
Issuance of common stock, net of costs				$ 5	75,433													75,438
Issuance of common stock, net of costs (shares)				477,762
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan					3,427												3,427	3,427
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan (shares)				29,475
Amortization of share-based compensation					49,851												49,851	49,851
Vesting of restricted stock, net (shares)				340,119
Net share settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting				$ (1)	(15,848)												(15,849)	(15,849)
Reclassification of vested share-based awards					(22,870)						22,870
Redemption of preferred stock			(219,250)				18,000										(201,250)	(201,250)
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests	1,709				(1,709)													(1,709)
Dividends declared on preferred stock							(25,399)										(25,399)	(25,399)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units	(362)						(655,244)				(16,502)							(671,746)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities											72,735				$ 72,735	$ (2,150)	72,735	72,735
Net income	282						507,174				13,018				300	282	520,192	520,192
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments								$ (104,520)		$ (2,804)			$ (107,324)	$ (107,324)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests	(2,150)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps									549		14						563	563
Other comprehensive income (loss)- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense									(694)		(18)						712	(712)
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2021	41,490		731,690	$ 2,806	20,844,834		(4,153,407)		31,733		706,591							18,164,247
Ending balance (shares) at Jun. 30, 2021				282,603,152
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2020	42,011		950,940	$ 2,788	20,626,897		(3,997,938)		135,010		728,639							18,446,336
Beginning balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2020				280,289,726
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2021	46,995		731,690	$ 2,824	21,075,863		(3,631,929)		(173,880)		472,219							18,476,787
Ending balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2021				284,415,013
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2021	40,097		950,940	$ 2,795	20,700,282		(3,952,497)		(77,783)		721,587							18,345,324
Beginning balance (shares) at Mar. 31, 2021				281,372,310
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of common units to common stock				$ 7	57,777						(57,784)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)				698,485
Issuance of common stock, net of costs				$ 5	75,665													75,670
Issuance of common stock, net of costs (shares)				477,762
Amortization of share-based compensation					21,063												21,063	21,063
Vesting of restricted stock, net (shares)				54,595
Net share settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting				$ (1)	(6,130)												(6,131)	(6,131)
Reclassification of vested share-based awards					(2,322)						2,322
Redemption of preferred stock																	(201,250)
Redemption of preferred stock		$ 219,250				$ (18,000)						$ 201,250
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests	1,501				(1,501)													(1,501)
Dividends declared on preferred stock							(11,885)										(11,885)	(11,885)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units	(181)						(328,279)				(7,801)							(336,080)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities											41,055				41,055		41,055	41,055
Net income	73						121,254				4,471				1,344		125,725	125,725
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments									108,951		2,727						111,678	111,678
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps									221		5						226	226
Other comprehensive income (loss)- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense									(344)		(9)						353	(353)
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2021	41,490		731,690	$ 2,806	20,844,834		(4,153,407)		31,733		706,591							18,164,247
Ending balance (shares) at Jun. 30, 2021				282,603,152
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2021	46,995		731,690	$ 2,824	21,075,863		(3,631,929)		(173,880)		472,219							18,476,787
Beginning balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2021				284,415,013
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of common units to common stock					1,459						(1,459)
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)				17,297
Issuance of common units in connection with acquisition (shares)				259,424
Payment of offering costs and other					(3,813)													(3,813)
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan					4,969												4,969	4,969
Shares issued under employee stock purchase plan (shares)				42,188
Amortization of share-based compensation					40,965												40,965	40,965
Net share settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting					(7,143)												(7,143)	(7,143)
Reclassification of vested share-based awards					(28,277)						28,277
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests	(7,341)				7,341													7,341
Dividends declared on preferred stock							(20,362)										(20,362)	(20,362)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units	(380)						(696,102)				(15,813)							(711,915)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities	1,703										11,527				11,527	1,703	11,527	11,527
Net income	70						136,708				3,995				965	70	140,703	140,703
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments									(300,656)		(7,134)						(307,790)	(307,790)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps								$ (965)		$ (23)			$ (988)	$ (988)			(988)	(988)
Other comprehensive income (loss)- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense									60		2						(62)	62
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2022	41,047		731,690	$ 2,824	21,091,364		(4,211,685)		(475,561)		491,587							17,630,219
Ending balance (shares) at Jun. 30, 2022				284,733,922
Beginning balance at Mar. 31, 2022	42,734		731,690	$ 2,824	$ 21,069,391		(3,916,854)		(188,844)		$ 510,499							18,208,706
Beginning balance (shares) at Mar. 31, 2022				284,666,082
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Conversion of common units to common stock (shares)				2,436	201,000						(201,000)
Issuance of common stock, net of costs					$ 211													211
Amortization of unearned compensation on share-based awards					22,420													22,420
Amortization of share-based compensation																	22,420
Vesting of restricted stock, net (shares)				65,404
Net share settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting					(981)												(981)	(981)
Reclassification of vested share-based awards					(1,746)						$ 1,746
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests	(1,868)				1,868													1,868
Dividends declared on preferred stock							(10,181)										(10,181)	(10,181)
Dividends and distributions on common stock and common and incentive units	(190)						(348,077)				(8,027)							(356,104)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities	(336)
Net income	35						63,427				401				(1,064)	35	63,828	63,828
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments									(287,105)		(6,808)						(293,913)	(293,913)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests											(6,032)				$ (6,032)	$ 336	(6,032)	(6,032)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps									347		9						356	356
Other comprehensive income (loss)- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense									(41)								$ 41	(41)
Ending balance at Jun. 30, 2022	$ 41,047		$ 731,690	$ 2,824	$ 21,091,364		$ (4,211,685)		$ (475,561)		$ 491,587							$ 17,630,219
Ending balance (shares) at Jun. 30, 2022				284,733,922