Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Nov. 03, 2018	Oct. 28, 2017	Nov. 03, 2018	Oct. 28, 2017
Net sales	$ 5,404	$ 5,281	$ 16,516	$ 16,267
Net Earnings from Credit Operations	185	145	528	473
Cost of sales	(3,226)	(3,152)	(9,927)	(9,858)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(2,255)	(2,188)	(6,501)	(6,406)
Gains on sale of real estate	42	65	111	176
Impairment, restructuring and other costs	(3)	(33)	(39)	(33)
Operating income (loss)	147	118	688	619
Benefit plan income, net	9	15	31	42
Settlement charges	(23)	(22)	(73)	(73)
Interest (expense) income, net
External	(59)	(74)	(187)	(237)
Interest Expense, Other	0	0	0	0
Loss on early retirement of debt	0	0	(5)	(1)
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	74	37	454	350
Federal, state and local income tax expense	(12)	(10)	(96)	(138)
Net income (loss)	62	27	358	212
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	3	10	7
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	62	30	368	219
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(37)	52	286	308
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	3	10	7
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(37)	55	296	315
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
Impairment, restructuring and other costs	0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	(1)
Benefit plan income, net	0	0	0	0
Settlement charges	0	0	(5)	0
Interest (expense) income, net
External	4	1	13	4
Interest Expense, Other	0	0	0	0
Loss on early retirement of debt			0	0
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	59	29	362	217
Income (loss) before income taxes	63	30	370	220
Federal, state and local income tax expense	(1)	0	(2)	(1)
Net income (loss)	62	30	368	219
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	62	30	368	219
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(37)	55	296	315
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(37)	55	296	315
Subsidiary Issuer
Net sales	2,030	2,073	6,110	6,358
Net Earnings from Credit Operations	0	0	(3)	(2)
Cost of sales	(1,266)	(1,382)	(3,857)	(4,160)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(883)	(834)	(2,522)	(2,458)
Gains on sale of real estate	41	24	83	116
Impairment, restructuring and other costs	0	(1)	0	(1)
Operating income (loss)	(78)	(120)	(189)	(147)
Benefit plan income, net	3	6	12	16
Settlement charges	(8)	(8)	(24)	(24)
Interest (expense) income, net
External	(64)	(76)	(203)	(243)
Interest Expense, Other	(18)	(34)	(54)	(102)
Loss on early retirement of debt			(5)	(1)
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	(58)	(57)	51	(26)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(223)	(289)	(412)	(527)
Federal, state and local income tax expense	57	59	123	142
Net income (loss)	(166)	(230)	(289)	(385)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(166)	(230)	(289)	(385)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(257)	(207)	(357)	(295)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(257)	(207)	(357)	(295)
Other Subsidiaries
Net sales	6,185	5,865	16,462	15,784
Net Earnings from Credit Operations	185	145	531	475
Cost of sales	(4,771)	(4,427)	(12,126)	(11,573)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(1,372)	(1,354)	(3,979)	(3,947)
Gains on sale of real estate	1	41	28	60
Impairment, restructuring and other costs	(3)	(32)	(39)	(32)
Operating income (loss)	225	238	877	767
Benefit plan income, net	6	9	19	26
Settlement charges	(15)	(14)	(44)	(49)
Interest (expense) income, net
External	1	1	3	2
Interest Expense, Other	18	34	54	102
Loss on early retirement of debt			0	0
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	235	268	909	848
Federal, state and local income tax expense	(68)	(69)	(217)	(279)
Net income (loss)	167	199	692	569
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	3	10	7
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	167	202	702	576
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	106	215	646	632
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	3	10	7
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	106	218	656	639
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Net sales	(2,811)	(2,657)	(6,056)	(5,875)
Net Earnings from Credit Operations	0	0	0	0
Cost of sales	2,811	2,657	6,056	5,875
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Gains on sale of real estate	0	0	0	0
Impairment, restructuring and other costs	0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	0	0	0	0
Benefit plan income, net	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
Loss on early retirement of debt			0	0
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	(1)	28	(413)	(191)
Income (loss) before income taxes	(1)	28	(413)	(191)
Federal, state and local income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	(1)	28	(413)	(191)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(1)	28	(413)	(191)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	151	(11)	(299)	(344)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	$ 151	$ (11)	$ (299)	$ (344)