Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	May 05, 2018	Apr. 29, 2017
Net sales	$ 5,541	$ 5,350
Net Earnings from Credit Operations	157	161
Cost of sales	(3,382)	(3,303)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(2,083)	(2,057)
Gains on sale of real estate	24	68
Impairments and other costs	(19)	0
Operating Income (Loss)	238	219
Non-Service Cost Pension, SERP and OPEB	11	13
Interest (expense) income, net
External	(66)	(84)
Intercompany	0	0
Net premiums on early retirement of debt	0	(3)
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	0	0
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	183	145
Federal, state and local income tax expense	(52)	(68)
Net income (loss)	131	77
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	8	1
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	139	78
Comprehensive income (loss)	138	83
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	8	1
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	146	84
Parent
Net sales	0	0
Net Earnings from Credit Operations	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	(1)
Gains on sale of real estate	0	0
Impairments and other costs	0
Operating Income (Loss)	0	(1)
Non-Service Cost Pension, SERP and OPEB	0	0
Interest (expense) income, net
External	4	1
Intercompany	0	0
Net premiums on early retirement of debt		0
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	136	78
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	140	78
Federal, state and local income tax expense	(1)	0
Net income (loss)	139	78
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	139	78
Comprehensive income (loss)	146	84
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	146	84
Subsidiary Issuer
Net sales	2,008	2,064
Net Earnings from Credit Operations	(6)	(6)
Cost of sales	(1,320)	(1,386)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(828)	(767)
Gains on sale of real estate	23	65
Impairments and other costs	0
Operating Income (Loss)	(123)	(30)
Non-Service Cost Pension, SERP and OPEB	4	5
Interest (expense) income, net
External	(71)	(85)
Intercompany	(18)	(34)
Net premiums on early retirement of debt		(3)
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	102	1
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(106)	(146)
Federal, state and local income tax expense	37	26
Net income (loss)	(69)	(120)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(69)	(120)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(63)	(114)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(63)	(114)
Other Subsidiaries
Net sales	5,363	5,130
Net Earnings from Credit Operations	163	167
Cost of sales	(3,892)	(3,761)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(1,255)	(1,289)
Gains on sale of real estate	1	3
Impairments and other costs	(19)
Operating Income (Loss)	361	250
Non-Service Cost Pension, SERP and OPEB	7	8
Interest (expense) income, net
External	1	0
Intercompany	18	34
Net premiums on early retirement of debt		0
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	0	0
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	387	292
Federal, state and local income tax expense	(88)	(94)
Net income (loss)	299	198
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	8	1
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	307	199
Comprehensive income (loss)	303	202
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	8	1
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	311	203
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Net sales	(1,830)	(1,844)
Net Earnings from Credit Operations	0	0
Cost of sales	1,830	1,844
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0
Gains on sale of real estate	0	0
Impairments and other costs	0
Operating Income (Loss)	0	0
Non-Service Cost Pension, SERP and OPEB	0	0
Interest (expense) income, net
External	0	0
Intercompany	0	0
Net premiums on early retirement of debt		0
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	(238)	(79)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(238)	(79)
Federal, state and local income tax expense	0	0
Net income (loss)	(238)	(79)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(238)	(79)
Comprehensive income (loss)	(248)	(89)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	$ (248)	$ (89)