CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CAPITAL - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021	Dec. 31, 2021
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance (units)			284,415,000
Common units and share-based awards issued in connection with Interxion combination				$ 18,270
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan			$ 4,969	3,427
Units repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting	$ (981)	$ (6,131)	(7,143)	(15,849)
Amortization of share-based compensation		21,063	40,965	49,851
Redemption of preferred units				(201,250)
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests	1,868	(1,501)	7,341	(1,709)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions		41,055	11,527	72,735
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard	17,630,219	18,164,247	17,630,219	18,164,247	$ 18,476,787
Net income	63,828	125,725	140,703	520,192
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments	(293,913)	111,678	(307,790)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps	356	226	(988)	563
Other comprehensive income (loss)- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense	$ (41)	(353)	$ 62	(712)
Ending balance (units)	284,734,000		284,734,000		284,415,000
Interest Rate Swap
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments				(107,324)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps			$ (988)
Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemption of preferred units		201,250
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 18,208,706	18,345,324	18,476,787	18,446,336	$ 18,446,336
Common units and share-based awards issued in connection with Interxion combination				18,270
Issuance of common unit, net of offering costs				75,438
Payment of common unit offering costs and other, net	(211)	(75,670)	(3,813)
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan			4,969	3,427
Units repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting	(981)	(6,131)	(7,143)	(15,849)
Amortization of share-based compensation	22,420	21,063	40,965	49,851
Redemption of preferred units		(201,250)		(201,250)
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units	1,868	(1,501)		(1,709)
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units			7,341
Distributions	(366,285)	(347,965)	(732,277)	(697,145)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions		41,055	11,527	72,735
Net income	63,828	125,725	140,703	520,192
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments	(293,913)	111,678	(307,790)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps	356	226	(988)	563
Other comprehensive income (loss)- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense	41	353	(62)	712
Ending balance	17,630,219	18,164,247	17,630,219	18,164,247	18,476,787
Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Interest Rate Swap
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments				(107,324)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps			(988)
Redeemable Interests | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 42,734		46,995	42,011	42,011
Beginning balance (units)	30,200,000
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units	$ (1,868)			1,709
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units			(7,341)
Distributions	(190)		(380)	(362)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions			1,703	(2,150)
Net income	35		70	282
Ending balance	$ 41,047	41,490	$ 41,047	41,490	46,995
Ending balance (units)	30,200,000		30,200,000
Preferred Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 731,690
Beginning balance (units)	284,666,082
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)	2,436
Vesting of restricted common units, net (units)	65,404
Ending balance	$ 731,690		$ 731,690
Ending balance (units)	284,733,922		284,733,922
Common Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 17,155,361
Beginning balance (units)	6,290,465
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units	$ 201
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)	(2,436)
Issuance of common units, net of offering costs (in units)	11,449
Payment of common unit offering costs and other, net	$ (211)
Units repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting	(981)
Amortization of share-based compensation	22,420
Reclassification of units to accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	(1,746)
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units	1,868
Distributions	(358,258)
Net income	63,427
Ending balance	$ 16,882,503		$ 16,882,503
Ending balance (units)	6,299,478		6,299,478
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ (196,769)	(83,506)	$ (181,445)	134,800	134,800
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments	(293,913)	111,678	(307,790)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps	356	226		563
Other comprehensive income (loss)- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense	41	353	(62)	712
Ending balance	(490,285)	28,751	(490,285)	28,751	(181,445)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net | Digital Realty Trust, L.P. | Interest Rate Swap
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments				(107,324)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps			(988)
Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Joint Ventures | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	66,470	150,295	46,882	119,659	119,659
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions		41,055	11,527	72,735
Net income	(1,064)	1,344	965	300
Ending balance	59,374	$ 192,694	59,374	$ 192,694	46,882
General Partner | Redeemable Interests | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Redemption of preferred units (in units)		(8,050,000)
Ending balance (units)		30,200,000		30,200,000
General Partner | Preferred Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance		$ 950,940	$ 731,690	$ 950,940	$ 950,940
Beginning balance (units)		38,250,000	30,200,000	38,250,000	38,250,000
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)		698,485
Payment of common unit offering costs and other, net (units)		477,762
Vesting of restricted common units, net (units)		54,595
Redemption of preferred units		$ (219,250)		$ (219,250)
Redemption of preferred units (in units)				(8,050,000)
Distributions		(11,885)		$ (25,399)
Net income		11,885		25,399
Ending balance	$ 731,690	$ 731,690	$ 731,690	$ 731,690	$ 731,690
Ending balance (units)	30,200,000	30,200,000	30,200,000	30,200,000	30,200,000
General Partner | Common Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance		$ 16,750,580	$ 17,446,758	$ 16,631,747	$ 16,631,747
Beginning balance (units)		281,372,310	284,415,013	280,289,726	280,289,726
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units		$ 57,784	$ 1,459	$ 111,397
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)			17,297	1,340,675
Common units issued in connection with acquisition (in units)			259,424
Common units and share-based awards issued in connection with Interxion combination				$ 18,270
Common units and share-based awards issued in connection with Interxion combination (in units)				125,395
Issuance of common unit, net of offering costs				$ 75,438
Issuance of common units, net of offering costs (in units)				477,762
Payment of common unit offering costs and other, net		(75,670)	$ (3,813)
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan			$ 4,969	$ 3,427
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan (units)			42,188	29,475
Units repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting		(6,131)	$ (7,143)	$ (15,849)
Amortization of share-based compensation		21,063	40,965	$ 49,851
Vesting of restricted common units, net (units)				340,119
Reclassification of vested share-based awards		(2,322)	(28,277)	$ 22,870
Redemption of preferred units		18,000		18,000
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units		(1,501)		(1,709)
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units			7,341
Distributions		(328,279)	(716,464)	(655,244)
Net income		109,369	136,708	481,775
Ending balance	$ 16,882,503	$ 16,694,233	$ 16,882,503	$ 16,694,233	$ 17,446,758
Ending balance (units)	284,733,922	282,603,152	284,733,922	282,603,152	284,415,013
Limited Partners | Redeemable Interests | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance		$ 40,097
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units		1,501
Distributions		(181)
Net income		73
Ending balance		41,490		$ 41,490
Limited Partners | Common Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 451,954	$ 577,015	$ 432,902	$ 609,190	$ 609,190
Beginning balance (units)		7,741,271	5,931,771	8,046,267	8,046,267
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units	(201)	$ (57,784)	$ (1,459)	$ (111,397)
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)		(698,485)	(17,297)	(1,340,675)
Common unit offering costs and other (in units)			385,004
Issuance of common units, net of forfeitures (units)				349,817
Issuance of common units, net of forfeitures (units)		12,623
Reclassification of units to accounts payable and other accrued liabilities	1,746
Reclassification of vested share-based awards		$ 2,322	$ 28,277	$ (22,870)
Distributions	(8,027)	(7,801)	(15,813)	(16,502)
Net income	1,465	3,127	3,030	12,718
Ending balance	$ 446,937	$ 516,879	$ 446,937	$ 516,879	$ 432,902
Ending balance (units)	6,299,478	7,055,409	6,299,478	7,055,409	5,931,771