Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Apr. 30, 2016	Jan. 30, 2016	May. 02, 2015	Jan. 31, 2015
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 734	$ 1,109	$ 1,509	$ 2,246
Receivables	436	558	259
Merchandise inventories	5,738	5,506	5,929
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	490	479	471
Income tax receivable	19	0	0
Total Current Assets	7,417	7,652	8,168
Property and Equipment - net	7,475	7,616	7,712
Goodwill	3,897	3,897	3,897
Other Intangible Assets - net	511	514	531
Other Assets	898	897	710
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0	0
Total Assets	20,198	20,576	21,018
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	642	642	76
Merchandise accounts payable	2,052	1,526	2,386
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	2,690	3,333	2,411
Income taxes	0	227	74
Total Current Liabilities	5,384	5,728	4,947
Long-Term Debt	6,990	6,995	7,229
Intercompany Payable	0	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	1,536	1,477	1,456
Other Liabilities	2,134	2,123	2,179
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	4,148	4,250	5,207
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	6	3	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	4,154	4,253	5,207
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	20,198	20,576	21,018
Parent
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	287	741	1,078	1,908
Receivables	0	0	0
Merchandise inventories	0	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0	0
Income tax receivable	66	44	43
Total Current Assets	353	785	1,121
Property and Equipment - net	0	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Other Intangible Assets - net	0	0	0
Other Assets	0	0	1
Deferred Income Taxes	23	14	22
Intercompany Receivable	0	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	4,651	4,725	4,701
Total Assets	5,027	5,524	5,845
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	34	35	13
Income taxes	0	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	34	35	13
Long-Term Debt	0	0	0
Intercompany Payable	787	1,218	564
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0	0
Other Liabilities	58	21	61
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	4,148	4,250	5,207
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	4,148	4,250	5,207
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	5,027	5,524	5,845
Subsidiary Issuer
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	112	91	115	94
Receivables	158	217	48
Merchandise inventories	2,707	2,702	2,961
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	121	135	101
Income tax receivable	0	0	0
Total Current Assets	3,098	3,145	3,225
Property and Equipment - net	3,840	3,925	4,250
Goodwill	3,315	3,315	3,315
Other Intangible Assets - net	50	52	68
Other Assets	154	154	44
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	3,810	3,804	3,549
Total Assets	14,267	14,395	14,451
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	641	641	75
Merchandise accounts payable	872	667	1,139
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	1,192	1,439	1,043
Income taxes	9	41	10
Total Current Liabilities	2,714	2,788	2,267
Long-Term Debt	6,971	6,976	7,209
Intercompany Payable	2,646	2,582	3,024
Deferred Income Taxes	726	693	744
Other Liabilities	547	558	543
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	663	798	664
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	663	798	664
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	14,267	14,395	14,451
Other Subsidiaries
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	335	277	316	244
Receivables	278	341	211
Merchandise inventories	3,031	2,804	2,968
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	369	344	370
Income tax receivable	0	0	0
Total Current Assets	4,013	3,766	3,865
Property and Equipment - net	3,635	3,691	3,462
Goodwill	582	582	582
Other Intangible Assets - net	461	462	463
Other Assets	744	743	665
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	3,433	3,800	3,588
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0	0
Total Assets	12,868	13,044	12,625
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	1	1	1
Merchandise accounts payable	1,180	859	1,247
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	1,464	1,859	1,355
Income taxes	38	230	107
Total Current Liabilities	2,683	2,949	2,710
Long-Term Debt	19	19	20
Intercompany Payable	0	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	833	798	734
Other Liabilities	1,529	1,544	1,575
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	7,798	7,731	7,586
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	6	3	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	7,804	7,734	7,586
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	12,868	13,044	12,625
Consolidating Adjustments
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	$ 0
Receivables	0	0	0
Merchandise inventories	0	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0	0
Income tax receivable	(47)	(44)	(43)
Total Current Assets	(47)	(44)	(43)
Property and Equipment - net	0	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Other Intangible Assets - net	0	0	0
Other Assets	0	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	(23)	(14)	(22)
Intercompany Receivable	(3,433)	(3,800)	(3,588)
Investment in Subsidiaries	(8,461)	(8,529)	(8,250)
Total Assets	(11,964)	(12,387)	(11,903)
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0	0
Income taxes	(47)	(44)	(43)
Total Current Liabilities	(47)	(44)	(43)
Long-Term Debt	0	0	0
Intercompany Payable	(3,433)	(3,800)	(3,588)
Deferred Income Taxes	(23)	(14)	(22)
Other Liabilities	0	0	0
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	(8,461)	(8,529)	(8,250)
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	(8,461)	(8,529)	(8,250)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	$ (11,964)	$ (12,387)	$ (11,903)