Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2021	Sep. 30, 2020
Operating activities:
Net income		$ 194,286	$ 272,627
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		189,423	180,914
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities		(1,770)	(1,867)
Share-based compensation expense		6,751	4,980
Net credit losses/(reversals) on operating lease receivables		(60)	4,387
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable		(79)	(91)
Amortization of debt issuance costs		2,963	2,312
Amortization of cash flow hedges		377	125
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments		882	1,270
Impairments of real estate assets		0	1,778
Losses on debt extinguishment		134	3,671
Net gains on disposition of property		(80,371)	(163,397)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		(1,614)	(2,965)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates		1,410	952
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable		5,753	(206)
Prepaid expenses and other assets		(1,210)	(3,684)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable		(13,734)	(30,187)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		6,077	4,840
Net cash provided by operating activities		309,218	275,459
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired		(270,160)	(2,363)
Investments in development in-process		(65,333)	(116,839)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs		(68,197)	(106,843)
Investments in building improvements		(34,452)	(44,088)
Investment in acquired controlling interest in unconsolidated affiliate		(127,339)	0
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets		187,964	356,644
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates		0	72
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable		(56)	(32)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable		229	234
Changes in other investing activities		4,119	(6,416)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities		(373,225)	80,369
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock		(151,898)	(149,462)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock		(5)	(33)
Dividends on Preferred Stock		(1,864)	(1,866)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership		(4,144)	(4,092)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		(1,342)	(1,124)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock		15,453	3,163
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock		(355)	(215)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings		(1,693)	(1,160)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility		310,000	129,000
Repayments of revolving credit facility		(175,000)	(350,000)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable		200,000	398,364
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable		(264,212)	(251,457)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs		0	(3,108)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities		(9,279)	(10,309)
Net cash used in financing activities		(84,339)	(242,299)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash		(148,346)	113,529
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period		189,244	14,742
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period		40,898	128,271
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period		27,871	118,705
Restricted cash at end of the period		13,027	9,566
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized		66,457	63,064
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges		(17)	(1,231)
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock		278	0
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	[1]	(20,150)	16,318
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets		52,158	31,526
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs		37,045	15,184
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs		4,158	1,438
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value		11,072	(46,955)
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities		403,000	0
Issuances of Common Units to acquire real estate assets		0	6,163
Initial recognition of lease liabilities related to right of use assets		5,310	0
Future consideration in connection with the acquisition of land		16,000	0
Accrued capital expenditures included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		45,800	84,300
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income		194,286	272,627
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		189,423	180,914
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities		(1,770)	(1,867)
Share-based compensation expense		6,751	4,980
Net credit losses/(reversals) on operating lease receivables		(60)	4,387
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable		(79)	(91)
Amortization of debt issuance costs		2,963	2,312
Amortization of cash flow hedges		377	125
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments		882	1,270
Impairments of real estate assets		0	1,778
Losses on debt extinguishment		134	3,671
Net gains on disposition of property		(80,371)	(163,397)
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		(1,614)	(2,965)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates		1,410	952
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable		5,753	(206)
Prepaid expenses and other assets		(1,210)	(3,684)
Accrued straight-line rents receivable		(13,734)	(30,187)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		6,077	4,840
Net cash provided by operating activities		309,218	275,459
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired		(270,160)	(2,363)
Investments in development in-process		(65,333)	(116,839)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs		(68,197)	(106,843)
Investments in building improvements		(34,452)	(44,088)
Investment in acquired controlling interest in unconsolidated affiliate		(127,339)	0
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets		187,964	356,644
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates		0	72
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable		(56)	(32)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable		229	234
Changes in other investing activities		4,119	(6,416)
Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities		(373,225)	80,369
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units		(155,445)	(152,965)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units		(5)	(33)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(1,864)	(1,866)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		(1,342)	(1,124)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units		15,453	3,163
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units		(355)	(215)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings		(1,693)	(1,160)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility		310,000	129,000
Repayments of revolving credit facility		(175,000)	(350,000)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable		200,000	398,364
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable		(264,212)	(251,457)
Payments of debt extinguishment costs		0	(3,108)
Changes in debt issuance costs and other financing activities		(9,876)	(10,898)
Net cash used in financing activities		(84,339)	(242,299)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash		(148,346)	113,529
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period		189,244	14,742
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period		40,898	128,271
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period		27,871	118,705
Restricted cash at end of the period		13,027	9,566
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized		66,457	63,064
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Unrealized losses on cash flow hedges		(17)	(1,231)
Changes in accrued capital expenditures	[1]	(20,150)	16,318
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets		52,158	31,526
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs		37,045	15,184
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs		4,158	1,438
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value		11,734	(43,963)
Assumption of mortgages and notes payable related to acquisition activities		403,000	0
Issuances of Common Units to acquire real estate assets		0	6,163
Initial recognition of lease liabilities related to right of use assets		5,310	0
Future consideration in connection with the acquisition of land		16,000	0
Accrued capital expenditures included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		$ 45,800	$ 84,300

[1] Accrued capital expenditures included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities at September 30, 2021 and 2020 were $45.8 million and $84.3 million, respectively.