Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Oct. 28, 2017	Jan. 28, 2017	Oct. 29, 2016	Jan. 30, 2016
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 534	$ 1,297	$ 457	$ 1,109
Receivables	219	522	262
Merchandise inventories	7,065	5,399	7,587
Income tax receivable	0	0	60
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	432	408	454
Total Current Assets	8,250	7,626	8,820
Property and Equipment - net	6,742	7,017	7,149
Goodwill	3,897	3,897	3,897
Other Intangible Assets - net	491	498	499
Other Assets	835	813	909
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0	0
Total Assets	20,215	19,851	21,274
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	22	309	938
Merchandise accounts payable	3,173	1,423	3,375
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	3,162	3,563	2,930
Income taxes	34	352	0
Total Current Liabilities	6,391	5,647	7,243
Long-Term Debt	6,297	6,562	6,563
Intercompany Payable	0	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	1,553	1,443	1,548
Other Liabilities	1,750	1,877	2,129
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	4,231	4,323	3,789
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	(7)	(1)	2
Total Shareholders’ Equity	4,224	4,322	3,791
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	20,215	19,851	21,274
Parent
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	116	938	60	741
Receivables	0	0	0
Merchandise inventories	0	0	0
Income tax receivable	0		99
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0	0
Total Current Assets	116	938	159
Property and Equipment - net	0	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Other Intangible Assets - net	0	0	0
Other Assets	1	0	1
Deferred Income Taxes	26	26	24
Intercompany Receivable	1,436	375	878
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,882	3,137	2,954
Total Assets	4,461	4,476	4,016
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	139	16	164
Income taxes	20	71	0
Total Current Liabilities	159	87	164
Long-Term Debt	0	0	0
Intercompany Payable	0	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0	0
Other Liabilities	71	66	63
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	4,231	4,323	3,789
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	4,231	4,323	3,789
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	4,461	4,476	4,016
Subsidiary Issuer
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	89	81	99	91
Receivables	67	169	74
Merchandise inventories	3,218	2,565	3,621
Income tax receivable	2		0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	86	84	89
Total Current Assets	3,462	2,899	3,883
Property and Equipment - net	3,184	3,397	3,534
Goodwill	3,315	3,315	3,315
Other Intangible Assets - net	46	51	47
Other Assets	62	47	153
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	3,644	3,540	3,173
Total Assets	13,713	13,249	14,105
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	6	306	935
Merchandise accounts payable	1,339	590	1,481
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	975	1,064	910
Income taxes	0	16	3
Total Current Liabilities	2,320	1,976	3,329
Long-Term Debt	6,280	6,544	6,545
Intercompany Payable	3,407	2,803	2,754
Deferred Income Taxes	707	688	694
Other Liabilities	476	500	565
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	523	738	218
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	523	738	218
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	13,713	13,249	14,105
Other Subsidiaries
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	329	278	298	277
Receivables	152	353	188
Merchandise inventories	3,847	2,834	3,966
Income tax receivable	0		0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	346	324	365
Total Current Assets	4,674	3,789	4,817
Property and Equipment - net	3,558	3,620	3,615
Goodwill	582	582	582
Other Intangible Assets - net	445	447	452
Other Assets	772	766	755
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	1,971	2,428	1,876
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0	0
Total Assets	12,002	11,632	12,097
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	16	3	3
Merchandise accounts payable	1,834	833	1,894
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	2,048	2,483	1,856
Income taxes	16	265	36
Total Current Liabilities	3,914	3,584	3,789
Long-Term Debt	17	18	18
Intercompany Payable	0	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	872	781	878
Other Liabilities	1,203	1,311	1,501
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	6,003	5,939	5,909
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	(7)	(1)	2
Total Shareholders’ Equity	5,996	5,938	5,911
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	12,002	11,632	12,097
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	$ 0
Receivables	0	0	0
Merchandise inventories	0	0	0
Income tax receivable	(2)		(39)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0	0
Total Current Assets	(2)	0	(39)
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	(26)	(26)	(24)
Intercompany Receivable	(3,407)	(2,803)	(2,754)
Investment in Subsidiaries	(6,526)	(6,677)	(6,127)
Total Assets	(9,961)	(9,506)	(8,944)
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0	0
Income taxes	(2)	0	(39)
Total Current Liabilities	(2)	0	(39)
Long-Term Debt	0	0	0
Intercompany Payable	(3,407)	(2,803)	(2,754)
Deferred Income Taxes	(26)	(26)	(24)
Other Liabilities	0	0	0
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	(6,526)	(6,677)	(6,127)
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	(6,526)	(6,677)	(6,127)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	$ (9,961)	$ (9,506)	$ (8,944)