Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jul. 30, 2016	Aug. 01, 2015	Jul. 30, 2016	Aug. 01, 2015
Net sales	$ 5,866	$ 6,104	$ 11,637	$ 12,336
Cost of sales	(3,468)	(3,610)	(6,984)	(7,410)
Gross margin	2,398	2,494	4,653	4,926
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(2,026)	(2,058)	(3,992)	(4,081)
Impairments and other costs	(249)	0	(249)	0
Settlement charges	(6)	0	(19)	0
Operating Income (Loss)	117	436	393	845
Interest (expense) income, net
External	(97)	(93)	(195)	(188)
Intercompany	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	20	343	198	657
Federal, state and local income tax expense	(11)	(126)	(74)	(247)
Net income (loss)	9	217	124	410
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	2	0	3	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	11	217	127	410
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(8)	224	99	425
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	2	0	3	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(6)	224	102	425
Parent
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Gross margin	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	(1)	(1)
Impairments and other costs	0		0
Settlement charges	0		0
Operating Income (Loss)	0	0	(1)	(1)
Interest (expense) income, net
External	0	0	1	0
Intercompany	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	11	217	127	411
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	11	217	127	410
Federal, state and local income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	11	217	127	410
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	11	217	127	410
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(6)	224	102	425
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(6)	224	102	425
Subsidiary Issuer
Net sales	2,494	2,761	4,948	5,537
Cost of sales	(1,523)	(1,688)	(3,127)	(3,497)
Gross margin	971	1,073	1,821	2,040
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(941)	(1,025)	(1,823)	(2,005)
Impairments and other costs	(184)		(184)
Settlement charges	(2)		(5)
Operating Income (Loss)	(156)	48	(191)	35
Interest (expense) income, net
External	(97)	(93)	(196)	(188)
Intercompany	(57)	(57)	(115)	(115)
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	22	86	32	146
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(288)	(16)	(470)	(122)
Federal, state and local income tax expense	114	42	175	79
Net income (loss)	(174)	26	(295)	(43)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(174)	26	(295)	(43)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(191)	33	(320)	(28)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(191)	33	(320)	(28)
Other Subsidiaries
Net sales	4,989	5,049	10,363	10,740
Cost of sales	(3,562)	(3,628)	(7,531)	(7,854)
Gross margin	1,427	1,421	2,832	2,886
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(1,085)	(1,033)	(2,168)	(2,075)
Impairments and other costs	(65)		(65)
Settlement charges	(4)		(14)
Operating Income (Loss)	273	388	585	811
Interest (expense) income, net
External	0	0	0	0
Intercompany	57	57	115	115
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	330	445	700	926
Federal, state and local income tax expense	(125)	(168)	(249)	(326)
Net income (loss)	205	277	451	600
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	2	0	3
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	207	277	454	600
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	195	282	436	609
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	2	0	3
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	197	282	439	609
Consolidating Adjustments
Net sales	(1,617)	(1,706)	(3,674)	(3,941)
Cost of sales	1,617	1,706	3,674	3,941
Gross margin	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Impairments and other costs	0		0
Settlement charges	0		0
Operating Income (Loss)	0	0	0	0
Interest (expense) income, net
External	0	0	0	0
Intercompany	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	(33)	(303)	(159)	(557)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(33)	(303)	(159)	(557)
Federal, state and local income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(33)	(303)	(159)	(557)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(33)	(303)	(159)	(557)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(6)	(315)	(119)	(581)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	$ (6)	$ (315)	$ (119)	$ (581)