Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Aug. 04, 2018	Jul. 29, 2017	Aug. 04, 2018	Jul. 29, 2017
Net sales	$ 5,572	$ 5,636	$ 11,112	$ 10,986
Net Earnings from Credit Operations	186	167	343	328
Cost of sales	(3,320)	(3,403)	(6,701)	(6,706)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(2,164)	(2,161)	(4,247)	(4,218)
Gains on sale of real estate	46	43	70	111
Impairments and other costs	(17)	0	(36)	0
Operating income (loss)	303	282	541	501
Non-Service Cost Pension, SERP and OPEB	11	14	22	27
Settlement charges	(50)	(51)	(50)	(51)
Interest (expense) income, net
External	(62)	(79)	(128)	(163)
Interest Expense, Other	0	0	0	0
Gain (loss) on early retirement of debt	(5)	2	(5)	(1)
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	197	168	380	313
Federal, state and local income tax expense	(33)	(60)	(84)	(128)
Net income (loss)	164	108	296	185
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	2	3	10	4
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	166	111	306	189
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	184	173	323	256
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	2	3	10	4
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	186	176	333	260
Parent
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Net Earnings from Credit Operations	0	0	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	(1)
Gains on sale of real estate	0	0	0	0
Impairments and other costs	0		0
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	(1)
Non-Service Cost Pension, SERP and OPEB	0	0	0	0
Settlement charges	(6)	0	(6)	0
Interest (expense) income, net
External	5	2	9	3
Interest Expense, Other	0	0	0	0
Gain (loss) on early retirement of debt	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	167	109	304	188
Income (loss) before income taxes	166	111	307	190
Federal, state and local income tax expense	0	0	(1)	(1)
Net income (loss)	166	111	306	189
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	166	111	306	189
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	186	176	333	260
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	186	176	333	260
Subsidiary Issuer
Net sales	2,072	2,220	4,081	4,285
Net Earnings from Credit Operations	3	5	(3)	(2)
Cost of sales	(1,271)	(1,391)	(2,591)	(2,778)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(812)	(856)	(1,641)	(1,623)
Gains on sale of real estate	19	26	42	92
Impairments and other costs	2		2
Operating income (loss)	13	4	(110)	(26)
Non-Service Cost Pension, SERP and OPEB	4	5	8	10
Settlement charges	(16)	(17)	(16)	(17)
Interest (expense) income, net
External	(69)	(82)	(139)	(167)
Interest Expense, Other	(17)	(34)	(36)	(69)
Gain (loss) on early retirement of debt	(5)	2	(5)	(1)
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	8	29	109	31
Income (loss) before income taxes	(82)	(93)	(189)	(239)
Federal, state and local income tax expense	30	56	67	83
Net income (loss)	(52)	(37)	(122)	(156)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(52)	(37)	(122)	(156)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(35)	24	(99)	(89)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(35)	24	(99)	(89)
Other Subsidiaries
Net sales	4,914	4,789	10,277	9,919
Net Earnings from Credit Operations	183	162	346	330
Cost of sales	(3,463)	(3,385)	(7,356)	(7,146)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(1,352)	(1,305)	(2,606)	(2,594)
Gains on sale of real estate	27	17	28	19
Impairments and other costs	(19)		(38)
Operating income (loss)	290	278	651	528
Non-Service Cost Pension, SERP and OPEB	7	9	14	17
Settlement charges	(28)	(34)	(28)	(34)
Interest (expense) income, net
External	2	1	2	1
Interest Expense, Other	17	34	36	69
Gain (loss) on early retirement of debt	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	288	288	675	581
Federal, state and local income tax expense	(63)	(116)	(150)	(210)
Net income (loss)	225	172	525	371
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	2	3	10	4
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	227	175	535	375
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	236	216	540	418
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	2	3	10	4
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	238	219	550	422
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Net sales	(1,414)	(1,373)	(3,246)	(3,218)
Net Earnings from Credit Operations	0	0	0	0
Cost of sales	1,414	1,373	3,246	3,218
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Gains on sale of real estate	0	0	0	0
Impairments and other costs	0		0
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Non-Service Cost Pension, SERP and OPEB	0	0	0	0
Settlement charges	0	0	0	0
Interest (expense) income, net
External	0	0	0	0
Interest Expense, Other	0	0	0	0
Gain (loss) on early retirement of debt	0	0	0	0
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	(175)	(138)	(413)	(219)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(175)	(138)	(413)	(219)
Federal, state and local income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(175)	(138)	(413)	(219)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(175)	(138)	(413)	(219)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(203)	(243)	(451)	(333)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	$ (203)	$ (243)	$ (451)	$ (333)