Consolidated Statements of Equity (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Total	Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Shares [Member]	General Partner Common Units [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Limited Partner Common Units [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Additional Paid-in Capital [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates [Member]	Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Affiliates [Member] Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]	Distributions in Excess of Net Income Available for Common Stockholders [Member]
Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	$ 986,859	$ 956,674	$ 726	$ 29,077	$ 9,575	$ 948,187	$ 1,803,997	$ (5,734)	$ (5,734)	$ 4,646	$ 4,646	$ (845,853)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2011			72,647,697
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		245,467			2,455	243,012			0		0
Distributions paid on Common Units		(134,291)			(1,343)	(132,948)			0		0
Distributions paid on Preferred Units		(2,508)			(25)	(2,483)			0		0
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			7,441,489
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	243,168		74	0			243,094	0		0		0
Conversion of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			63,366
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	2,096		0	0			2,096	0		0		0
Dividends on Common Stock	(128,652)		0	0			0	0		0		(128,652)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,508)		0	0			0	0		0		(2,508)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(16,491)		0	0			(16,491)	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(679)	(679)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(679)	(679)	0
Issuances of restricted stock - Shares			158,885
Issuances of restricted stock	0		0	0			0	0		0		0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	7,613	7,613	3	0	76	7,537	7,610	0	0	0	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(14,644)			(146)	(14,498)			0		0
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,854)		0	0			0	0		0		(3,854)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0	(8)	(778)	0	0	0	786	786	(786)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	84,235	84,295	0	0	843	83,452	0	0	0	0	0	84,235
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	(6,894)	(6,894)	0	0	0	0	0	(6,894)	(6,894)	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	77,341	77,401
Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	1,164,893	1,135,033	803	29,077	11,427	1,131,481	2,040,306	(12,628)	(12,628)	4,753	4,753	(897,418)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012			80,311,437
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(581)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	13,760	13,707
Balance at Mar. 31, 2013
Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	1,164,893	1,135,033	803	29,077	11,427	1,131,481	2,040,306	(12,628)	(12,628)	4,753	4,753	(897,418)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2012			80,311,437
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		305,846			3,058	302,788			0		0
Distributions paid on Common Units		(150,936)			(1,509)	(149,427)			0		0
Distributions paid on Preferred Units		(2,508)			(25)	(2,483)			0		0
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			8,670,517
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	305,846		87	0			305,759	0		0		0
Conversion of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			789,144
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	28,788		0	0			28,788	0		0		0
Dividends on Common Stock	(145,964)		0	0			0	0		0		(145,964)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,508)		0	0			0	0		0		(2,508)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(11,375)		0	0			(11,375)	0		0		0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(546)	(546)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(546)	(546)	0
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	16,240	16,240	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	16,240	16,240	0
Issuances of restricted stock - Shares			151,630
Issuances of restricted stock	0		0	0			0	0		0		0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - Shares			(1,813)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	6,899	6,899	9	0	69	6,830	6,890	0	0	0	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		18,700			187	18,513			0		0
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(4,691)		0	0			0	0		0		(4,691)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0	(9)	(940)	0	0	0	949	949	(949)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	131,097	131,046	0	0	1,310	129,736	0	0	0	0	0	131,097
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	10,017	10,017	0	0	0	0	0	10,017	10,017	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	141,114	141,063
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	1,498,696	1,469,791	899	29,077	14,508	1,436,498	2,370,368	(2,611)	(2,611)	21,396	21,396	(920,433)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	89,920,915		89,920,915
Balance at Sep. 30, 2013
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(978)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	31,690	31,690
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	1,498,696	1,469,791
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	89,920,915
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(398)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	13,576	13,576
Balance at Mar. 31, 2014
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	1,498,696	1,469,791	899	29,077	14,508	1,436,498	2,370,368	(2,611)	(2,611)	21,396	21,396	(920,433)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2013	89,920,915		89,920,915
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		112,624			1,126	111,498			0		0
Redemptions of Common Units		(93)			(1)	(92)			0		0
Distributions paid on Common Units		(158,464)			(1,585)	(156,879)			0		0
Distributions paid on Preferred Units		(2,507)			(25)	(2,482)			0		0
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			2,812,477
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	112,624		28	0			112,596	0		0		0
Conversion of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			4,417
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	162		0	0			162	0		0		0
Dividends on Common Stock	(154,165)		0	0			0	0		0		(154,165)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,507)		0	0			0	0		0		(2,507)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(25,275)		0	0			(25,275)	0		0		0
Acquisition of noncontrolling interest in consolidated affiliate	(4,126)	(4,126)	0	0	(5)	(508)	(513)	0	0	(3,613)	(3,613)	0
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,140)	(1,140)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(1,140)	(1,140)	0
Issuances of restricted stock - Shares			169,501
Issuances of restricted stock	0		0	0			0	0		0		0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(17)		0	(17)			0	0		0		0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	6,939	6,939	2		69	6,870	6,937	0	0	0	0	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		(24,243)			(242)	(24,001)			0		0
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,542)		0	0			0	0		0		(3,542)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0	0	0	(15)	(1,451)	0	0	0	1,466	1,466	(1,466)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	115,972	115,972	0	0	1,160	114,812	0	0	0	0	0	115,972
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	(1,301)	(1,301)	0	0	0	0	0	(1,301)	(1,301)	0	0	0
Total comprehensive income	114,671	114,671
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	1,542,320	1,513,452	929	29,060	14,990	1,484,265	2,464,275	(3,912)	(3,912)	18,109	18,109	(966,141)
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	92,907,310		92,907,310
Balance at Sep. 30, 2014
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(729)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	23,585	23,585
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 1,542,320	$ 1,513,452
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2014	92,907,310