Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Operating activities:
Net income		$ 104,254	$ 151,330	$ 163,958
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		299,046	299,411	287,610
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities		1,413	1,135	(42)
Share-based compensation expense		8,000	6,984	7,552
Net credit losses on operating lease receivables		2,289	3,834	3,199
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable		(548)	(805)	(88)
Amortization of debt issuance costs		5,638	4,884	4,324
Amortization of cash flow hedges		(249)	(293)	(238)
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments		112	(288)	(70)
Impairments of real estate assets		24,600	0	36,515
Losses on debt extinguishment		173	602	0
Net gains on disposition of property		(46,817)	(47,773)	(63,546)
Gain on deconsolidation of affiliate		0	(11,778)	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		(4,158)	(1,107)	(1,535)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates		5,973	1,246	614
Settlement of cash flow hedges		0	(493)	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable		(3,222)	(547)	(10,955)
Prepaid expenses and other assets		2,669	1,259	1,685
Accrued straight-line rents receivable		(9,626)	(24,510)	(29,421)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		14,037	3,871	22,217
Net cash provided by operating activities		403,584	386,962	421,779
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired		(50,835)	(18,544)	(224,934)
Investments in development in-process		(4,149)	(33,848)	(44,352)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs		(143,824)	(112,290)	(120,739)
Investments in building improvements		(41,005)	(64,312)	(76,415)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets		100,934	101,829	130,038
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates		8,484	6,594	0
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable		(6,229)	(14,463)	(24)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable		63	9,888	288
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates		(153,361)	(132,609)	(261,772)
Repayments of preferred equity from unconsolidated affiliates		0	80,000	0
Changes in earnest money deposits		(10,000)	15,500	(15,500)
Changes in other investing activities		(2,513)	(7,431)	(1,389)
Net cash used in investing activities		(302,435)	(169,686)	(614,799)
Financing activities:
Dividends on Common Stock		(212,351)	(211,023)	(210,183)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Stock		0	(10)	0
Redemptions of Common Units		0	(163)	(3,763)
Dividends on Preferred Stock		(2,485)	(2,485)	(2,486)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership		(4,303)	(4,511)	(4,866)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		(400)	0	(1,411)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Stock		53,518	1,741	7,570
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Stock		(843)	(226)	(247)
Repurchase of shares related to tax withholdings		(1,438)	(1,325)	(2,156)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility		339,000	249,000	675,000
Repayments of revolving credit facility		(255,000)	(615,000)	(359,000)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable		0	590,352	550,000
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable		(7,056)	(206,726)	(456,444)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		0	320	0
Payments for debt issuance costs and other financing activities		(7,683)	(5,370)	(4,087)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities		(99,041)	(205,426)	187,927
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash		2,108	11,850	(5,093)
Cash from deconsolidation of affiliate		0	(6,386)	0
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period		31,569	26,105	31,198
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period		33,677	31,569	26,105
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period		22,412	25,123	21,357
Restricted cash at end of the period		11,265	6,446	4,748
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized		133,584	129,764	102,501
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Conversions of Common Units to Common Stock		132	4,795	1,251
Net changes in capital expenditures incurred but not yet paid (1)	[1]	(2,667)	2,342	(1,426)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets		93,636	76,722	58,905
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs		47,644	36,051	29,083
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs		4,083	1,356	3,292
Adjustment of noncontrolling interests in the Operating Partnership to fair value		18,666	(10,152)	(39,502)
Derecognition of lease liabilities related to right of use assets		(4,027)	0	0
Accrued capital expenditures included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		52,900	55,700	53,200
Highwoods Realty Limited Partnership [Member]
Operating activities:
Net income		104,254	151,330	163,958
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		299,046	299,411	287,610
Amortization of lease incentives and acquisition-related intangible assets and liabilities		1,413	1,135	(42)
Share-based compensation expense		8,000	6,984	7,552
Net credit losses on operating lease receivables		2,289	3,834	3,199
Accrued interest on mortgages and notes receivable		(548)	(805)	(88)
Amortization of debt issuance costs		5,638	4,884	4,324
Amortization of cash flow hedges		(249)	(293)	(238)
Amortization of mortgages and notes payable fair value adjustments		112	(288)	(70)
Impairments of real estate assets		24,600	0	36,515
Losses on debt extinguishment		173	602	0
Net gains on disposition of property		(46,817)	(47,773)	(63,546)
Gain on deconsolidation of affiliate		0	(11,778)	0
Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates		(4,158)	(1,107)	(1,535)
Distributions of earnings from unconsolidated affiliates		5,973	1,246	614
Settlement of cash flow hedges		0	(493)	0
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accounts receivable		(3,222)	(547)	(10,955)
Prepaid expenses and other assets		2,669	1,259	1,685
Accrued straight-line rents receivable		(9,626)	(24,510)	(29,421)
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		14,037	3,871	22,217
Net cash provided by operating activities		403,584	386,962	421,779
Investing activities:
Investments in acquired real estate and related intangible assets, net of cash acquired		(50,835)	(18,544)	(224,934)
Investments in development in-process		(4,149)	(33,848)	(44,352)
Investments in tenant improvements and deferred leasing costs		(143,824)	(112,290)	(120,739)
Investments in building improvements		(41,005)	(64,312)	(76,415)
Net proceeds from disposition of real estate assets		100,934	101,829	130,038
Distributions of capital from unconsolidated affiliates		8,484	6,594	0
Investments in mortgages and notes receivable		(6,229)	(14,463)	(24)
Repayments of mortgages and notes receivable		63	9,888	288
Investments in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates		(153,361)	(132,609)	(261,772)
Repayments of preferred equity from unconsolidated affiliates		0	80,000	0
Changes in earnest money deposits		(10,000)	15,500	(15,500)
Changes in other investing activities		(2,513)	(7,431)	(1,389)
Net cash used in investing activities		(302,435)	(169,686)	(614,799)
Financing activities:
Distributions on Common Units		(215,836)	(214,716)	(214,231)
Redemptions/repurchases of Preferred Units		0	(10)	0
Redemptions of Common Units		0	(163)	(3,763)
Distributions on Preferred Units		(2,485)	(2,485)	(2,486)
Distributions to noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		(400)	0	(1,411)
Proceeds from the issuance of Common Units		53,518	1,741	7,570
Costs paid for the issuance of Common Units		(843)	(226)	(247)
Repurchase of units related to tax withholdings		(1,438)	(1,325)	(2,156)
Borrowings on revolving credit facility		339,000	249,000	675,000
Repayments of revolving credit facility		(255,000)	(615,000)	(359,000)
Borrowings on mortgages and notes payable		0	590,352	550,000
Repayments of mortgages and notes payable		(7,056)	(206,726)	(456,444)
Contributions from noncontrolling interests in consolidated affiliates		0	320	0
Payments for debt issuance costs and other financing activities		(8,501)	(6,188)	(4,905)
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities		(99,041)	(205,426)	187,927
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash		2,108	11,850	(5,093)
Cash from deconsolidation of affiliate		0	(6,386)	0
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of the period		31,569	26,105	31,198
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of the period		33,677	31,569	26,105
Reconciliation of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash:
Cash and cash equivalents at end of the period		22,412	25,123	21,357
Restricted cash at end of the period		11,265	6,446	4,748
Supplemental disclosure of cash flow information:
Cash paid for interest, net of amounts capitalized		133,584	129,764	102,501
Supplemental disclosure of non-cash investing and financing activities:
Net changes in capital expenditures incurred but not yet paid (1)	[2]	(2,667)	2,342	(1,426)
Write-off of fully depreciated real estate assets		93,636	76,722	58,905
Write-off of fully amortized leasing costs		47,644	36,051	29,083
Write-off of fully amortized debt issuance costs		4,083	1,356	3,292
Adjustment of Redeemable Common Units to fair value		16,271	(16,457)	(45,712)
Derecognition of lease liabilities related to right of use assets		(4,027)	0	0
Accrued capital expenditures included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities		$ 52,900	$ 55,700	$ 53,200

[1] Accrued capital expenditures included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities as of December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 were $52.9 million, $55.7 million and $53.2 million, respectively.

[2] Accrued capital expenditures included in accounts payable, accrued expenses and other liabilities as of December 31, 2024, 2023 and 2022 were $52.9 million, $55.7 million and $53.2 million, respectively.