Bank Guarantees Related Leases

No definition available.

Name:	gps_BankGuaranteesRelatedToLeases
Namespace Prefix:	gps_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of the total principal payments made during the annual reporting period.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Date the debt agreement requires the first payment to be made, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 470
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (c)
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-Publisher FASB
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-Section S99
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Face (par) amount of debt instrument at time of issuance.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 835
-SubTopic 30
-Section 55
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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

+ References

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentMaturityDate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period of time between issuance and maturity of debt instrument, in PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

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Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LettersOfCreditOutstandingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
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-Topic 210
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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Date the credit facility terminates, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of long-term debt payable, sinking fund requirements, and other securities issued that are redeemable by holder at fixed or determinable prices and dates maturing in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
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-Paragraph 1
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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
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-Section S99
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-04.(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e24072-122690

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Reflects the total carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of debt having initial terms less than one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(19)(a))
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+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents the amount of short-term debt existing as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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- Details

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- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=gps_ForeignFacilitiesMember
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=gps_AmendedFiveYearUnsecuredRevolvingCreditFacilityMember
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Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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- Details

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Debt and Credit Facilities - Additional Information (Details) $ in Millions, ¥ in Billions	3 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2016 JPY (¥)	Apr. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jan. 30, 2016 USD ($)	May. 02, 2015 USD ($)
Letter of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Term	2 years
Maximum borrowing capacity		$ 50
Expiration date	Sep. 30, 2016
Borrowings		0
5.95 Percent Notes Due April 2021
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount of notes issued		$ 1,250
Notes, interest rate	5.95%	5.95%
Notes, maturity date	Apr. 12, 2021
Estimated fair value		$ 1,330	$ 1,290	$ 1,430
Japan Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Aggregate principal amount of notes issued \| ¥	¥ 15.0
Notes, maturity date	Jan. 15, 2018
Estimated fair value		94	$ 83	$ 105
Debt Instrument, Term	4 years
Debt Instrument, Date of First Required Payment	Jan. 15, 2015
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal in Year Two	¥ 7.5	70
Debt Instrument, Annual Principal Payment	¥ 2.5	24
Foreign Facilities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity		48
Borrowings		0
Bank guarantees related to store leases		13
Amended Five-Year Unsecured Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Term	5 years
Maximum borrowing capacity		500
Expiration date	May 01, 2020
Unsecured committed letter of credit amount		0
Borrowings		0
Standby Letters of Credit [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unsecured committed letter of credit amount		18
400 Million Dollar Term Loan [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes, maturity date	Oct. 15, 2016
Short-Term Loans Payable		400
Short-term Debt, Fair Value		$ 400