Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Aug. 04, 2018	Feb. 03, 2018	Jul. 29, 2017
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,068	$ 1,455	$ 783
Receivables	261	363	382
Merchandise inventories	4,956	5,178	4,980
Income tax receivable	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	580	650	571
Total Current Assets	6,865	7,646	6,716
Property and Equipment - net	6,547	6,672	6,822
Goodwill	3,908	3,897	3,897
Other Intangible Assets - net	483	488	493
Other Assets	865	880	810
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0	0
Total Assets	18,668	19,583	18,738
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	63	22	16
Merchandise accounts payable	1,795	1,590	1,669
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	2,608	3,271	2,939
Income taxes	15	296	52
Total Current Liabilities	4,481	5,179	4,676
Long-Term Debt	5,473	5,861	6,301
Intercompany Payable	0	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	1,194	1,148	1,549
Other Liabilities	1,626	1,662	1,773
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	5,916	5,745	4,444
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	(22)	(12)	(5)
Total Shareholders’ Equity	5,894	5,733	4,439
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	18,668	19,583	18,738
Parent
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	744	1,109	421
Receivables	1	0	0
Merchandise inventories	0	0	0
Income tax receivable	46
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0	0
Total Current Assets	791	1,109	421
Property and Equipment - net	0	0	0
Goodwill	0	0	0
Other Intangible Assets - net	0	0	0
Other Assets	0	1	1
Deferred Income Taxes	10	11	25
Intercompany Receivable	1,347	884	1,011
Investment in Subsidiaries	3,876	4,032	3,110
Total Assets	6,024	6,037	4,568
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	84	159	24
Income taxes	0	113	28
Total Current Liabilities	84	272	52
Long-Term Debt	0	0	0
Intercompany Payable	0	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0	0
Other Liabilities	24	20	72
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	5,916	5,745	4,444
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	5,916	5,745	4,444
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	6,024	6,037	4,568
Subsidiary Issuer
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	66	58	78
Receivables	43	85	132
Merchandise inventories	2,121	2,344	2,236
Income tax receivable	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	135	165	132
Total Current Assets	2,365	2,652	2,578
Property and Equipment - net	3,253	3,349	3,388
Goodwill	3,326	3,315	3,315
Other Intangible Assets - net	41	44	47
Other Assets	89	89	53
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	3,140	4,126	3,743
Total Assets	12,214	13,575	13,124
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	42	6	6
Merchandise accounts payable	788	653	698
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	777	980	917
Income taxes	33	30	2
Total Current Liabilities	1,640	1,669	1,623
Long-Term Debt	5,457	5,844	6,284
Intercompany Payable	2,385	3,272	3,267
Deferred Income Taxes	588	559	746
Other Liabilities	441	430	425
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	1,703	1,801	779
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	1,703	1,801	779
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	12,214	13,575	13,124
Other Subsidiaries
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	258	288	284
Receivables	217	278	250
Merchandise inventories	2,835	2,834	2,744
Income tax receivable	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	445	485	439
Total Current Assets	3,755	3,885	3,717
Property and Equipment - net	3,294	3,323	3,434
Goodwill	582	582	582
Other Intangible Assets - net	442	444	446
Other Assets	776	790	756
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	1,038	2,388	2,256
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0	0
Total Assets	9,887	11,412	11,191
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	21	16	10
Merchandise accounts payable	1,007	937	971
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	1,747	2,132	1,998
Income taxes	28	153	22
Total Current Liabilities	2,803	3,238	3,001
Long-Term Debt	16	17	17
Intercompany Payable	0	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	616	600	828
Other Liabilities	1,161	1,212	1,276
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	5,313	6,357	6,074
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	(22)	(12)	(5)
Total Shareholders’ Equity	5,291	6,345	6,069
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	9,887	11,412	11,191
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Receivables	0	0	0
Merchandise inventories	0	0	0
Income tax receivable	(46)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0	0
Total Current Assets	(46)	0	0
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	(10)	(11)	(25)
Intercompany Receivable	(2,385)	(3,272)	(3,267)
Investment in Subsidiaries	(7,016)	(8,158)	(6,853)
Total Assets	(9,457)	(11,441)	(10,145)
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0	0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0	0
Income taxes	(46)	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	(46)	0	0
Long-Term Debt	0	0	0
Intercompany Payable	(2,385)	(3,272)	(3,267)
Deferred Income Taxes	(10)	(11)	(25)
Other Liabilities	0	0	0
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	(7,016)	(8,158)	(6,853)
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0	0	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	(7,016)	(8,158)	(6,853)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	$ (9,457)	$ (11,441)	$ (10,145)