CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CAPITAL - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2022	Sep. 30, 2021	Dec. 31, 2021
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance (units)			284,415,000
Common units issued in connection with acquisition				$ 18,270
Contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities	$ 10,379	$ 37,380	$ 21,906	110,115
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan		6,468		9,895
Units repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting		(701)		(16,550)
Amortization of share-based compensation		19,427		69,278
Partial settlement of forward sale agreements, net of costs	399,722		400,878
Redemption of preferred units				(201,250)
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests	4,783		12,124	(771)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions	10,379	37,380	21,906	110,115
Cumulative effect adjustment from adoption of new accounting standard	17,555,021	17,766,359	17,555,021	17,766,359	$ 18,476,787
Deconsolidation of consolidated joint venture/consolidated entities		(197,016)		(197,016)
Net income	242,214	136,476	382,917	656,668
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments	(402,425)	(147,120)	(710,215)	(254,444)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps	7,154	209	6,166	772
Other comprehensive income (loss)- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense	$ (1,092)	358	$ (1,154)	1,070
Ending balance (units)	287,509,000		287,509,000		284,415,000
Series C Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Adjustment to redeemable noncontrolling interests		938
Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 17,630,219	18,164,247	$ 18,476,787	18,446,336	$ 18,446,336
Common units issued in connection with acquisition				18,270
Contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities	10,379	37,380	161,644
Units issued under equity plans, net of unit settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting	11,684		9,510
Issuance of common unit, net of offering costs		92,871		168,309
Payment of common unit offering costs and other, net			395,909
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan		6,468		9,895
Units repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting		(701)		(16,550)
Amortization of share-based compensation	21,288	19,427	62,253	69,278
Partial settlement of forward sale agreements, net of costs	399,722
Redemption of preferred units				(201,250)
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units	4,783			(771)
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units		(938)	12,124
Distributions	(368,905)	(347,178)	(1,101,182)	(1,044,323)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities, net of contributions				110,115
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions	10,379	37,380	161,644
Deconsolidation of consolidated joint venture/consolidated entities		(197,016)		(197,016)
Net income	242,214	136,476	243,179	656,668
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments	(402,425)	(147,120)	(710,215)	(254,444)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps	7,154	209	6,166	772
Other comprehensive income (loss)- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense	(1,092)	358	(1,154)	1,070
Ending balance	17,555,021	17,766,359	17,555,021	17,766,359	18,476,787
Redeemable Interests | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	41,047	41,490	46,995	42,011	42,011
Contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities		484	1,703
Redeemable noncontrolling interests associated with acquisition of Teraco	(1,530,090)		1,530,090
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units	(4,783)			771
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units		938	(12,124)
Distributions	(190)	(181)	(570)	(543)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities, net of contributions				(1,666)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions		484	1,703
Net income	(3,423)	65	(3,353)	347
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments	(132,821)		(132,821)
Ending balance	1,429,920	40,920	1,429,920	40,920	46,995
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	(490,285)	28,751	(181,445)	134,800	134,800
Other comprehensive income (loss)-foreign currency translation adjustments	(402,425)	(147,120)	(710,215)	(254,444)
Other comprehensive income (loss)-fair value of interest rate swaps	7,154	209	6,166	772
Other comprehensive income (loss)- reclassification of accumulated other comprehensive income to interest expense	(1,092)	358	(1,154)	1,070
Ending balance	(886,648)	(117,802)	(886,648)	(117,802)	(181,445)
Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Joint Ventures | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	59,374	192,694	46,882	119,659	119,659
Contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities	10,379	37,380	21,906
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities, net of contributions				110,115
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions	10,379	37,380	21,906
Deconsolidation of consolidated joint venture/consolidated entities		(197,016)		(197,016)
Net income	(136)	(734)	829	(434)
Ending balance	69,617	$ 32,324	69,617	$ 32,324	46,882
General Partner | Redeemable Interests | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
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	$ 731,690	$ 731,690	$ 731,690	$ 950,940	$ 950,940
Beginning balance (units)	30,200,000	30,200,000	30,200,000	38,250,000	38,250,000
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)		562,151
Issuance of common units, net of offering costs (in units)		583,181
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan (units)		52,654
Vesting of restricted common units, net (units)		45,664
Redemption of preferred units				$ (219,250)
Redemption of preferred units (in units)				(8,050,000)
Distributions		$ (10,181)		$ (35,580)
Net income		10,181		35,580
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	$ 16,882,503	$ 16,694,233	$ 17,446,758	$ 16,631,747	$ 16,631,747
Beginning balance (units)	284,733,922	282,603,152	284,415,013	280,289,726	280,289,726
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units	$ 503	$ 46,515	$ 1,962	$ 157,912
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)	6,253		23,550	1,902,826
Common units issued in connection with acquisition				$ 18,270
Common units issued in connection with acquisition (in units)			305,054	125,395
Issuance of limited partner common units, net (in units)				1,060,943
Contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities			$ 136,708
Units issued under equity plans, net of unit settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting	$ 11,684		$ 9,510
Units issued under equity plans, net of unit settlement to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting (in units)	63,863		106,051
Issuance of common unit, net of offering costs		92,871		$ 168,309
Payment of common unit offering costs and other, net			$ 395,909
Payment of common unit offering costs and other, net (units)			2,658,539
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan		6,468		$ 9,895
Units issued in connection with employee stock purchase plan (units)				82,129
Units repurchased and retired to satisfy tax withholding upon vesting		(701)		$ (16,550)
Amortization of share-based compensation	$ 21,288	19,427	$ 62,253	$ 69,278
Vesting of restricted common units, net (units)	45,630			385,783
Partial settlement of forward sale agreements, net of costs	$ 399,722
Partial settlement of forward sale agreements, net of costs (shares)	2,658,539
Reclassification of vested share-based awards	$ 933	138	(29,210)	$ 23,008
Redemption of preferred units				18,000
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units	4,783			(771)
Adjustment to redeemable partnership units		(938)	12,124
Distributions	(361,591)	(329,720)	(1,078,055)	(984,964)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions			136,708
Net income	237,075	124,094	237,075	605,869
Ending balance	$ 17,195,034	$ 16,653,987	$ 17,195,034	$ 16,653,987	$ 17,446,758
Ending balance (units)	287,508,207	283,846,802	287,508,207	283,846,802	284,415,013
Limited Partners | Common Units | Digital Realty Trust, L.P.
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 446,937	$ 516,879	$ 432,902	$ 609,190	$ 609,190
Beginning balance (units)	6,299,478	7,055,409	5,931,771	8,046,267	8,046,267
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units	$ (503)	$ (46,515)	$ (1,962)	$ (157,912)
Conversion of limited partner common units to general partner common units (units)		(562,151)	(17,297)	(1,902,826)
Issuance of limited partner common units, net (in units)	(4,810)		380,194
Contributions from (distributions to) noncontrolling interests in consolidated entities			$ 3,030
Issuance of common units, net of forfeitures (units)				350,624
Issuance of common units, net of forfeitures (units)		807
Reclassification of vested share-based awards	$ (933)	$ (138)	29,210	$ (23,008)
Distributions	(7,314)	(7,277)	(23,127)	(23,779)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated joint ventures, net of distributions			3,030
Net income	5,275	2,935	5,275	15,653
Ending balance	$ 445,328	$ 466,160	$ 445,328	$ 466,160	$ 432,902
Ending balance (units)	6,294,668	6,494,065	6,294,668	6,494,065	5,931,771