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Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2015
Jan. 31, 2014
Jan. 31, 2013
Jan. 31, 2012
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]        
Amounts Due from Banks $ 2,900,000,000wmt_AmountsDuefromBanks $ 1,600,000,000wmt_AmountsDuefromBanks    
Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents 345,000,000us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents 654,000,000us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndCashEquivalents    
Cash and cash equivalents 9,135,000,000us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue 7,281,000,000us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue 7,781,000,000us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue 6,550,000,000us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue
Cash Held in Foreign Countries 6,300,000,000wmt_CashHeldinForeignCountries 5,800,000,000wmt_CashHeldinForeignCountries    
Nonrepatriable Cash and Cash Equivalents 1,700,000,000wmt_NonrepatriableCashandCashEquivalents 1,900,000,000wmt_NonrepatriableCashandCashEquivalents    
Financing Receivable, Net 1,200,000,000us-gaap_NotesReceivableNet 1,300,000,000us-gaap_NotesReceivableNet    
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Losses 114,000,000us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLosses 119,000,000us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLosses    
Depreciation and Amortization of Property, Plant and Equipment 9,100,000,000wmt_DepreciationandAmortizationofPropertyPlantandEquipment 8,800,000,000wmt_DepreciationandAmortizationofPropertyPlantandEquipment 8,400,000,000wmt_DepreciationandAmortizationofPropertyPlantandEquipment  
Capitalized Interest on Construction Projects 59,000,000wmt_CapitalizedInterestonConstructionProjects 78,000,000wmt_CapitalizedInterestonConstructionProjects 74,000,000wmt_CapitalizedInterestonConstructionProjects  
General Liability Self Insurance Limits 15,000,000wmt_GeneralLiabilitySelfInsuranceLimits      
Worker's Compensation Self Insurance Limits 5,000,000wmt_WorkersCompensationSelfInsuranceLimits      
Advertising Expense 2,400,000,000us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense 2,400,000,000us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense 2,300,000,000us-gaap_AdvertisingExpense  
Pre-Opening Costs $ 317,000,000us-gaap_PreOpeningCosts $ 338,000,000us-gaap_PreOpeningCosts $ 316,000,000us-gaap_PreOpeningCosts