Derivative Financial Instruments - Effects Of Derivative Financial Instruments On OCI And Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Aug. 03, 2019	Aug. 04, 2018	Aug. 03, 2019	Aug. 04, 2018
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Cost of goods sold and occupancy expenses	$ 2,449	$ 2,458	$ 4,811	$ 4,814
Operating Expenses	1,274	1,229	2,302	2,427
Derivatives in net investment hedging relationships
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated OCI into income, effective portion, net	0	0	0	0
Cost of Goods Sold and Occupancy Expense
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated OCI into income, effective portion, net	(6)	0	(12)	(3)
Operating Expenses [Member]
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated OCI into income, effective portion, net	(3)	(12)	(12)	(24)
Foreign Exchange Forward Contract \| Derivatives in cash flow hedging relationships
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, gain (loss) recognized in OCI, effective portion, net	2	21	15	43
Foreign Exchange Forward Contract \| Cost of Goods Sold and Occupancy Expense \| Not Designated as Hedging Instrument
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated OCI into income, effective portion, net	0	0	0	0
Foreign Exchange Forward Contract \| Cost of Goods Sold and Occupancy Expense \| Derivatives in cash flow hedging relationships
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated OCI into income, effective portion, net	(6)	0	(12)	(3)
Foreign Exchange Forward Contract \| Operating Expenses [Member] \| Not Designated as Hedging Instrument
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated OCI into income, effective portion, net	(3)	(12)	(12)	(24)
Foreign Exchange Forward Contract \| Operating Expenses [Member] \| Derivatives in cash flow hedging relationships
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated OCI into income, effective portion, net	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0

The aggregate costs related to goods produced and sold and services rendered by an entity during the reporting period. This excludes costs incurred during the reporting period related to financial services rendered and other revenue generating activities.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.2(a),(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- 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

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

- Definition

The effective portion of net gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income into income on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4D
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5624177-113959

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109980867&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossReclassifiedFromAccumulatedOCIIntoIncomeEffectivePortionNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Generally recurring costs associated with normal operations except for the portion of these expenses which can be clearly related to production and included in cost of sales or services. Includes selling, general and administrative expense.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingExpenses
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount before tax of increase (decrease) in accumulated gain (loss) from derivative instruments designated and qualifying as the effective portion of cash flow hedges and an entity's share of an equity investee's increase (decrease) in deferred hedging gain (loss).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118930883&loc=d3e637-108580

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109978405&loc=d3e80720-113993

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118930883&loc=SL7669646-108580

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedGainLossOnDerivativesArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_NetInvestmentHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=gps_CostOfGoodsSoldAndOccupancyExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_OperatingExpenseMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis=us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: