Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Operating activities:
Net income	$ 87,244	$ 73,039
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	114,262	111,961
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(960)	(345)
Share-based compensation expense	5,468	4,837
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	192	110
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(225)	(274)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	1,408	1,649
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(621)	781
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	694	139
Gains on debt extinguishment	0	(826)
Net gains on disposition of property	(16,972)	(5,332)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(1,068)	(1,710)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	1,706	2,907
Settlement of cash flow hedges	7,216	7,322
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	4,469	4,358
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(5,232)	(1,455)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(12,707)	(15,228)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(916)	(9,818)
Net cash provided by operating activities	183,958	172,115
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(50,649)	0
Investments in development in-process	(85,717)	(97,096)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(61,990)	(54,119)
Investments in building improvements	(34,652)	(31,070)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	33,453	11,532
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	105	7,445
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	758	2,357
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	0	(172)
Changes in other investing activities	(3,147)	(4,033)
Net cash used in investing activities	(201,839)	(165,156)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock	(95,579)	(89,952)
Special dividend on Common Stock	0	(81,205)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(5)	(15)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(1,246)	(1,246)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(2,599)	(2,495)
Special distribution to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	0	(2,271)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(543)	(858)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock	2,052	74,987
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock	(28)	(1,199)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings	(1,609)	(3,955)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	257,400	425,300
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(360,400)	(314,300)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	345,863	456,001
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(200,892)	(506,679)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs	0	(57)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(2,948)	(3,688)
Net cash used in financing activities	(60,534)	(51,632)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	(78,415)	(44,673)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period	88,333	78,631
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period	9,918	33,958
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	4,232	13,346
Restricted cash at end of the period	5,686	20,612
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	33,273	34,930
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains on cash flow hedges	8,739	316
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	1,084	305
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(10,574)	(21,961)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	48,011	28,449
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	19,717	15,023
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	2,705	4,324
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(272)	(287)
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income	87,244	73,039
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	114,262	111,961
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities	(960)	(345)
Share-based compensation expense	5,468	4,837
Allowance for losses on accounts and accrued straight-line rents receivable	192	110
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable	(225)	(274)
Amortization of debt issuance costs	1,408	1,649
Amortization of cash flow hedges	(621)	781
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments	694	139
Gains on debt extinguishment	0	(826)
Net gains on disposition of property	(16,972)	(5,332)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates	(1,068)	(1,710)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates	1,706	2,907
Settlement of cash flow hedges	7,216	7,322
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable	4,469	4,358
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(5,232)	(1,455)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable	(12,707)	(15,228)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities	(916)	(9,818)
Net cash provided by operating activities	183,958	172,115
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired	(50,649)	0
Investments in development in-process	(85,717)	(97,096)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs	(61,990)	(54,119)
Investments in building improvements	(34,652)	(31,070)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets	33,453	11,532
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates	105	7,445
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable	758	2,357
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates	0	(172)
Changes in other investing activities	(3,147)	(4,033)
Net cash used in investing activities	(201,839)	(165,156)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units	(97,800)	(92,087)
Special distribution on Common Units	0	(83,149)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units	(5)	(15)
Distributions on Preferred Units	(1,246)	(1,246)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(543)	(858)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units	2,052	74,987
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units	(28)	(1,199)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings	(1,609)	(3,955)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility	257,400	425,300
Repayments of revolving credit facility	(360,400)	(314,300)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable	345,863	456,001
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable	(200,892)	(506,679)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs	0	(57)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities	(3,326)	(4,375)
Net cash used in financing activities	(60,534)	(51,632)
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash	(78,415)	(44,673)
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period	88,333	78,631
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period	9,918	33,958
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period	4,232	13,346
Restricted cash at end of the period	5,686	20,612
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized	33,273	34,930
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized gains on cash flow hedges	8,739	316
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	(10,574)	(21,961)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets	48,011	28,449
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs	19,717	15,023
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs	2,705	4,324
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value	$ (1,686)	$ (1,156)