Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Operating activities:
Net income		$ 323,310	$ 357,914	$ 141,683
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		259,255	241,585	254,504
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities		(1,903)	(2,537)	(505)
Share-based compensation expense		8,646	6,210	7,180
Net credit losses on operating lease receivables		425	5,458	9,861
Write-off of mortgages and notes receivable		0	0	4,087
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable		(103)	(118)	(184)
Amortization of debt issuance costs		4,451	3,092	2,970
Amortization of cash flow hedges		508	247	(1,250)
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments		862	1,681	1,619
Impairments of real estate assets		0	1,778	5,849
Losses on debt extinguishment		286	3,674	640
Net gains on disposition of property		(174,059)	(215,897)	(39,517)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		(1,947)	(4,005)	(3,276)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates		1,417	1,533	1,149
Settlement of cash flow hedges		0	0	(11,749)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable		5,744	437	(3,271)
Prepaid expenses and other assets		1,575	(365)	1,610
Accrued straight-line rents receivable		(22,100)	(36,576)	(29,828)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		8,191	(5,951)	24,225
Net cash provided by operating activities		414,558	358,160	365,797
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired		(305,291)	(2,363)	(424,222)
Investments in development in-process		(77,854)	(160,612)	(116,111)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs		(93,654)	(137,997)	(138,754)
Investments in building improvements		(48,405)	(62,154)	(53,826)
Investment in acquired controlling interest in unconsolidated affiliate		(127,339)	0	0
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets		374,016	484,311	133,326
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates		0	72	7,833
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable		(84)	(32)	0
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable		301	310	295
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates		(6,079)	0	(9,977)
Changes in other investing activities		(3,289)	(10,853)	(5,971)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities		(287,678)	110,682	(607,407)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock		(204,182)	(199,331)	(196,935)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock		(5)	(33)	(18)
Dividends on Preferred Stock		(2,486)	(2,488)	(2,488)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership		(5,516)	(5,456)	(5,189)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		(1,342)	(1,138)	(1,767)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock		23,917	3,571	2,086
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock		(535)	(215)	0
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings		(1,718)	(1,160)	(1,788)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility		380,000	129,000	604,600
Repayments of revolving credit facility		(310,000)	(350,000)	(565,600)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable		200,000	398,364	747,990
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable		(353,780)	(251,952)	(326,876)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs		0	(3,193)	0
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities		(9,279)	(10,309)	(7,806)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities		(284,926)	(294,340)	246,209
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash		(158,046)	174,502	4,599
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period		189,244	14,742	10,143
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period		31,198	189,244	14,742
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period		23,152	109,322	9,505
Restricted cash at end of the period		8,046	79,922	5,237
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized		79,474	72,350	72,014
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges		(19)	(1,238)	(9,134)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock		15,076	145	663
Changes in accrued capital expenditures (1)	[1]	(9,843)	(1,913)	5,625
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets		68,307	46,656	85,727
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs		43,648	25,618	45,042
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs		5,200	1,438	1,791
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value		11,461	(30,617)	29,557
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities		403,000	0	0
Issuances of Common Units to acquire real estate assets		0	6,163	0
Contingent consideration in connection with the acquisition of land		0	0	1,200
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		0	0	4,987
Initial recognition of lease liabilities related to right of use assets		5,310	0	35,349
Future consideration in connection with the acquisition of land		16,000	0	0
Accrued capital expenditures included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		56,100	66,000	67,900
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income		323,310	357,914	141,683
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		259,255	241,585	254,504
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities		(1,903)	(2,537)	(505)
Share-based compensation expense		8,646	6,210	7,180
Net credit losses on operating lease receivables		425	5,458	9,861
Write-off of mortgages and notes receivable		0	0	4,087
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable		(103)	(118)	(184)
Amortization of debt issuance costs		4,451	3,092	2,970
Amortization of cash flow hedges		508	247	(1,250)
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments		862	1,681	1,619
Impairments of real estate assets		0	1,778	5,849
Losses on debt extinguishment		286	3,674	640
Net gains on disposition of property		(174,059)	(215,897)	(39,517)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		(1,947)	(4,005)	(3,276)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates		1,417	1,533	1,149
Settlement of cash flow hedges		0	0	(11,749)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable		5,744	437	(3,271)
Prepaid expenses and other assets		1,575	(365)	1,610
Accrued straight-line rents receivable		(22,100)	(36,576)	(29,828)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		8,191	(5,951)	24,225
Net cash provided by operating activities		414,558	358,160	365,797
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired		(305,291)	(2,363)	(424,222)
Investments in development in-process		(77,854)	(160,612)	(116,111)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs		(93,654)	(137,997)	(138,754)
Investments in building improvements		(48,405)	(62,154)	(53,826)
Investment in acquired controlling interest in unconsolidated affiliate		(127,339)	0	0
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets		374,016	484,311	133,326
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates		0	72	7,833
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable		(84)	(32)	0
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable		301	310	295
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates		(6,079)	0	(9,977)
Changes in other investing activities		(3,289)	(10,853)	(5,971)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities		(287,678)	110,682	(607,407)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units		(208,896)	(204,002)	(201,347)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units		(5)	(33)	(18)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(2,486)	(2,488)	(2,488)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		(1,342)	(1,138)	(1,767)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units		23,917	3,571	2,086
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units		(535)	(215)	0
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings		(1,718)	(1,160)	(1,788)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility		380,000	129,000	604,600
Repayments of revolving credit facility		(310,000)	(350,000)	(565,600)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable		200,000	398,364	747,990
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable		(353,780)	(251,952)	(326,876)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs		0	(3,193)	0
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities		(10,081)	(11,094)	(8,583)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities		(284,926)	(294,340)	246,209
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash		(158,046)	174,502	4,599
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period		189,244	14,742	10,143
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period		31,198	189,244	14,742
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period		23,152	109,322	9,505
Restricted cash at end of the period		8,046	79,922	5,237
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized		79,474	72,350	72,014
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges		(19)	(1,238)	(9,134)
Changes in accrued capital expenditures (1)	[2]	(9,843)	(1,913)	5,625
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets		68,307	46,656	85,727
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs		43,648	25,618	45,042
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs		5,200	1,438	1,791
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities		403,000	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value		(810)	(26,880)	27,256
Issuances of Common Units to acquire real estate assets		0	6,163	0
Contingent consideration in connection with the acquisition of land		0	0	1,200
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		0	0	4,987
Initial recognition of lease liabilities related to right of use assets		5,310	0	35,349
Future consideration in connection with the acquisition of land		16,000	0	0
Accrued capital expenditures included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		$ 56,100	$ 66,000	$ 67,900

[1] Accrued capital expenditures included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities at December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 were $56.1 million, $66.0 million and $67.9 million, respectively.

[2] Accrued capital expenditures included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities at December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019 were $56.1 million, $66.0 million and $67.9 million, respectively.