Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Feb. 02, 2019	Feb. 03, 2018	Jan. 28, 2017	Jan. 30, 2016
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,162	$ 1,455
Receivables	400	363
Merchandise Inventories	5,263	5,178
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	620	650
Total Current Assets	7,445	7,646
Property and Equipment - net	6,637	6,672
Goodwill	3,908	3,897
Other Intangible Assets - net	478	488
Other Assets	726	880
Deferred Tax Assets, Other	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Total Assets	19,194	19,583
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	43	22
Merchandise accounts payable	1,655	1,590
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	3,366	3,271
Income taxes	168	296
Total Current Liabilities	5,232	5,179
Long-Term Debt	4,708	5,861
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	1,238	1,148
Other Liabilities	1,580	1,662
Total Macy's, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	6,436	5,745
Noncontrolling interest	0	(12)
Total Shareholders' Equity	6,436	5,733	$ 4,375	$ 4,253
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	19,194	19,583
Parent Company [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	889	1,109
Receivables	0	0
Merchandise Inventories	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0
Total Current Assets	889	1,109
Property and Equipment - net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Other Intangible Assets - net	0	0
Other Assets	0	1
Deferred Tax Assets, Other	12	11
Intercompany Receivable	1,713	884
Investment in Subsidiaries	4,030	4,032
Total Assets	6,644	6,037
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	170	159
Income taxes	14	113
Total Current Liabilities	184	272
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	0	0
Other Liabilities	24	20
Total Macy's, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	6,436	5,745
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total Shareholders' Equity	6,436	5,745
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	6,644	6,037
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	59	58
Receivables	68	85
Merchandise Inventories	2,342	2,344
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	143	165
Total Current Assets	2,612	2,652
Property and Equipment - net	3,287	3,349
Goodwill	3,326	3,315
Other Intangible Assets - net	38	44
Other Assets	41	89
Deferred Tax Assets, Other	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	3,119	4,119
Total Assets	12,423	13,568
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	42	6
Merchandise accounts payable	713	653
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	950	980
Income taxes	52	30
Total Current Liabilities	1,757	1,669
Long-Term Debt	4,692	5,844
Intercompany Payable	3,103	3,265
Deferred Income Taxes	679	559
Other Liabilities	406	430
Total Macy's, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	1,786	1,801
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total Shareholders' Equity	1,786	1,801
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	12,423	13,568
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	214	288
Receivables	332	278
Merchandise Inventories	2,921	2,834
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	477	485
Total Current Assets	3,944	3,885
Property and Equipment - net	3,350	3,323
Goodwill	582	582
Other Intangible Assets - net	440	444
Other Assets	685	790
Deferred Tax Assets, Other	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	1,390	2,381
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Total Assets	10,391	11,405
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	1	16
Merchandise accounts payable	942	937
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	2,246	2,132
Income taxes	102	153
Total Current Liabilities	3,291	3,238
Long-Term Debt	16	17
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	571	600
Other Liabilities	1,150	1,212
Total Macy's, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	5,363	6,350
Noncontrolling interest	0	(12)
Total Shareholders' Equity	5,363	6,338
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	10,391	11,405
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Receivables	0	0
Merchandise Inventories	0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0	0
Total Current Assets	0	0
Property and Equipment - net	0	0
Goodwill	0	0
Other Intangible Assets - net	0	0
Other Assets	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Other	(12)	(11)
Intercompany Receivable	(3,103)	(3,265)
Investment in Subsidiaries	(7,149)	(8,151)
Total Assets	(10,264)	(11,427)
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0	0
Income taxes	0	0
Total Current Liabilities	0	0
Long-Term Debt	0	0
Intercompany Payable	(3,103)	(3,265)
Deferred Income Taxes	(12)	(11)
Other Liabilities	0	0
Total Macy's, Inc. Shareholders' Equity	(7,149)	(8,151)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
Total Shareholders' Equity	(7,149)	(8,151)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	$ (10,264)	$ (11,427)