Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jan. 28, 2017	Jan. 30, 2016	Jan. 31, 2015	Feb. 01, 2014
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,297	$ 1,109	$ 2,246	$ 2,273
Receivables	522	558
Merchandise inventories	5,399	5,506
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	408	479
Income taxes		0
Total Current Assets	7,626	7,652
Property and Equipment - net	7,017	7,616
Goodwill	3,897	3,897
Other Intangible Assets - net	498	514
Other Assets	813	897
Deferred Tax Assets, Other	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Total Assets	19,851	20,576
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	309	642
Merchandise accounts payable	1,423	1,526
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	3,563	3,333
Income taxes	352	227
Total Current Liabilities	5,647	5,728
Long-Term Debt	6,562	6,995
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	1,443	1,477
Other Liabilities	1,877	2,123
Total Macy's, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	4,323	4,250
Noncontrolling interest	(1)	3
Total Shareholders' Equity	4,322	4,253	5,378	6,249
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	19,851	20,576
Parent Company [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	938	741	1,908	1,955
Receivables	0	0
Merchandise inventories	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0
Income taxes		44
Total Current Assets	938	785
Property and Equipment - net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Other Intangible Assets - net	0	0
Other Assets	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Other	26	14
Intercompany Receivable	375	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	3,137	4,725
Total Assets	4,476	5,524
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	15	35
Income taxes	71	0
Total Current Liabilities	86	35
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Intercompany Payable	0	1,218
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0
Other Liabilities	66	21
Total Macy's, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	4,323	4,250
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total Shareholders' Equity	4,323	4,250
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	4,475	5,524
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	81	91	94	84
Receivables	169	217
Merchandise inventories	2,565	2,702
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	84	135
Income taxes		0
Total Current Assets	2,899	3,145
Property and Equipment - net	3,397	3,925
Goodwill	3,315	3,315
Other Intangible Assets - net	51	52
Other Assets	47	154
Deferred Tax Assets, Other	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	3,540	3,804
Total Assets	13,249	14,395
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	306	641
Merchandise accounts payable	590	667
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	1,064	1,439
Income taxes	16	41
Total Current Liabilities	1,976	2,788
Long-Term Debt	6,544	6,976
Intercompany Payable	2,803	2,582
Deferred Income Taxes	688	693
Other Liabilities	500	558
Total Macy's, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	738	798
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total Shareholders' Equity	738	798
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	13,249	14,395
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	278	277	244	234
Receivables	353	341
Merchandise inventories	2,834	2,804
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	324	344
Income taxes		0
Total Current Assets	3,789	3,766
Property and Equipment - net	3,620	3,691
Goodwill	582	582
Other Intangible Assets - net	447	462
Other Assets	766	743
Deferred Tax Assets, Other	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	2,428	3,800
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Total Assets	11,632	13,044
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	3	1
Merchandise accounts payable	833	859
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	2,484	1,859
Income taxes	265	230
Total Current Liabilities	3,585	2,949
Long-Term Debt	18	19
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	781	798
Other Liabilities	1,311	1,544
Total Macy's, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	5,939	7,731
Noncontrolling interest	(1)	3
Total Shareholders' Equity	5,938	7,734
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	11,633	13,044
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	$ 0	$ 0
Receivables	0	0
Merchandise inventories	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0
Income taxes		(44)
Total Current Assets	0	(44)
Property and Equipment - net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Other Intangible Assets - net	0	0
Other Assets	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Other	(26)	(14)
Intercompany Receivable	(2,803)	(3,800)
Investment in Subsidiaries	(6,677)	(8,529)
Total Assets	(9,506)	(12,387)
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0
Income taxes	0	(44)
Total Current Liabilities	0	(44)
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Intercompany Payable	(2,803)	(3,800)
Deferred Income Taxes	(26)	(14)
Other Liabilities	0	0
Total Macy's, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	(6,677)	(8,529)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total Shareholders' Equity	(6,677)	(8,529)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	$ (9,506)	$ (12,387)