Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	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 (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2020			103,921,546
Balance at Dec. 31, 2020	$ 2,358,170	$ 2,329,344	$ 1,039	$ 28,826	$ 23,087	$ 2,285,673	$ 2,993,946	$ (1,462)	$ (1,462)	$ 22,046	$ 22,046	$ (686,225)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		21,664			217	21,447
Distributions on Common Units		(208,896)			(2,089)	(206,807)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(2,486)			(25)	(2,461)
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			459,477
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	21,664		$ 8				21,656
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			333,920
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	15,076						15,076
Dividends on Common Stock	(204,182)											(204,182)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,486)											(2,486)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	(11,461)						(11,461)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,342)	(1,342)								(1,342)	(1,342)
Issuances of restricted stock - Shares			184,584
Issuances of restricted stock	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(5)			(5)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - Shares			(6,747)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	8,646	8,646	$ 2		86	8,560	8,644
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		8			0	8
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(8,321)											(8,321)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(17)	(1,695)				1,712	1,712	(1,712)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	323,310	323,310			3,233	320,077						323,310
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	489	489						489	489
Total comprehensive income	323,799	323,799
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2021			104,892,780
Balance at Dec. 31, 2021	2,499,558	2,470,737	$ 1,049	28,821	24,492	2,424,802	3,027,861	(973)	(973)	22,416	22,416	(579,616)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		5,167			52	5,115
Redemptions of Common Units		(3,763)			(38)	(3,725)
Distributions on Common Units		(214,231)			(2,142)	(212,089)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(2,486)			(25)	(2,461)
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			106,141
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	5,167		$ 1				5,166
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			30,909
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	1,251						1,251
Dividends on Common Stock	(210,183)											(210,183)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,486)											(2,486)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	39,502						39,502
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	(1,411)	(1,411)								(1,411)	(1,411)
Issuances of restricted stock - Shares			181,807
Issuances of restricted stock	0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - Shares			(779)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	7,552	7,552	$ 2		76	7,476	7,550	0
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		44,894			449	44,445
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,670)											(3,670)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			(12)	(1,218)				1,230	1,230	(1,230)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	163,958	163,958			1,640	162,318						163,958
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	(238)	(238)						(238)	(238)
Total comprehensive income	$ 163,720	163,720
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2022	105,210,858		105,210,858
Balance at Dec. 31, 2022	$ 2,499,000	2,470,179	$ 1,052	28,821	24,492	2,424,663	3,081,330	(1,211)	(1,211)	22,235	22,235	(633,227)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuances of Common Units, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings		190			2	188
Redemptions of Common Units		(163)			(2)	(161)
Distributions on Common Units		(214,716)			(2,147)	(212,569)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(2,485)			(25)	(2,460)
Issuances of Common Stock - Shares			27,064
Issuances of Common Stock, net of issuance costs and tax withholdings	190		$ 2				188
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock - Shares			193,907
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock	4,795						4,795
Dividends on Common Stock	(211,023)											(211,023)
Dividends on Preferred Stock	(2,485)											(2,485)
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value	10,152						10,152
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	320	320	$ 0	0	0	0	0	0	0	320	320	0
Issuances of restricted stock - Shares			282,453
Issuances of restricted stock	0
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock	(10)		$ 0	(10)			0	0		0		0
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures - Shares			(3,967)
Share-based compensation expense, net of forfeitures	6,984	6,984	$ 3		70	6,914	6,981
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value and contributions/distributions from/to the General Partner		15,639			156	15,483
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership	(3,164)											(3,164)
Net (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates	0	0			5	544				(549)	(549)	549
Deconsolidation of affiliate	(17,281)	(17,281)								(17,281)	(17,281)
Comprehensive income:
Net income	151,330	151,330			1,513	149,817						151,330
Other comprehensive income/(loss)	(786)	(786)						(786)	(786)
Total comprehensive income	$ 150,544	150,544
Balance (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2023	105,710,315		105,710,315
Balance at Dec. 31, 2023	$ 2,438,022	$ 2,409,211	$ 1,057	$ 28,811	$ 24,064	$ 2,382,419	$ 3,103,446	$ (1,997)	$ (1,997)	$ 4,725	$ 4,725	$ (698,020)