Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Aug. 03, 2019	Aug. 04, 2018	Aug. 03, 2019	Aug. 04, 2018
Net sales	$ 5,546	$ 5,572	$ 11,050	$ 11,112
Credit card revenues, net	176	186	348	343
Cost of sales	(3,395)	(3,320)	(6,798)	(6,701)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(2,177)	(2,164)	(4,287)	(4,247)
Gains on sale of real estate	7	46	49	70
Impairment and other costs	(2)	(17)	(3)	(36)
Operating income (loss)	155	303	359	541
Benefit plan income, net	8	11	15	22
Settlement charges	0	(50)	0	(50)
Interest (expense) income, net
External	(47)	(62)	(94)	(128)
Interest Expense, Other	0	0	0	0
Loss on early retirement of debt	0	(5)	0	(5)
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	116	197	280	380
Federal, state and local income tax expense	(30)	(33)	(57)	(84)
Net income (loss)	86	164	223	296
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	2	0	10
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	86	166	223	306
Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	91	184	234	323
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	2	0	10
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	91	186	234	333
Parent
Net sales	0	0	0	0
Credit card revenues, net	0	0	0	0
Cost of sales	0	0	0	0
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	1	0
Gains on sale of real estate	0	0	0	0
Impairment and other costs	0	0	0	0
Operating income (loss)	0	0	1	0
Benefit plan income, net	0	0	0	0
Settlement charges		(6)	0	(6)
Interest (expense) income, net
External	4	5	9	9
Interest Expense, Other	0	0	0	0
Loss on early retirement of debt		0		0
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	82	167	214	304
Income (loss) before income taxes	86	166	224	307
Federal, state and local income tax expense	0	0	(1)	(1)
Net income (loss)	86	166	223	306
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	86	166	223	306
Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	91	186	234	333
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	91	186	234	333
Subsidiary Issuer
Net sales	2,219	2,072	4,373	4,081
Credit card revenues, net	(2)	3	(5)	(3)
Cost of sales	(1,341)	(1,271)	(2,682)	(2,591)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(872)	(812)	(1,674)	(1,641)
Gains on sale of real estate	0	19	24	42
Impairment and other costs	0	2	0	2
Operating income (loss)	4	13	36	(110)
Benefit plan income, net	3	4	6	8
Settlement charges		(16)	0	(16)
Interest (expense) income, net
External	(52)	(69)	(105)	(139)
Interest Expense, Other	(18)	(17)	(37)	(36)
Loss on early retirement of debt		(5)		(5)
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	(108)	8	(138)	109
Income (loss) before income taxes	(171)	(82)	(238)	(189)
Federal, state and local income tax expense	7	30	31	67
Net income (loss)	(164)	(52)	(207)	(122)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(164)	(52)	(207)	(122)
Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(159)	(35)	(197)	(99)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	(159)	(35)	(197)	(99)
Other Subsidiaries
Net sales	4,416	4,914	9,184	10,277
Credit card revenues, net	178	183	353	346
Cost of sales	(3,143)	(3,463)	(6,623)	(7,356)
Selling, general and administrative expenses	(1,305)	(1,352)	(2,614)	(2,606)
Gains on sale of real estate	7	27	25	28
Impairment and other costs	(2)	(19)	(3)	(38)
Operating income (loss)	151	290	322	651
Benefit plan income, net	5	7	9	14
Settlement charges		(28)	0	(28)
Interest (expense) income, net
External	1	2	2	2
Interest Expense, Other	18	17	37	36
Loss on early retirement of debt		0		0
Income (Loss) from Equity Method Investments	0	0	0	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	175	288	370	675
Federal, state and local income tax expense	(37)	(63)	(87)	(150)
Net income (loss)	138	225	283	525
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	2	0	10
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	138	227	283	535
Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	142	236	291	540
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	2	0	10
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	142	238	291	550
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Net sales	(1,089)	(1,414)	(2,507)	(3,246)
Credit card revenues, net	0	0	0	0
Cost of sales	1,089	1,414	2,507	3,246
Selling, general and administrative expenses	0	0	0	0
Gains on sale of real estate	0	0	0	0
Impairment 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
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	26	(175)	(76)	(413)
Income (loss) before income taxes	26	(175)	(76)	(413)
Federal, state and local income tax expense	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss)	26	(175)	(76)	(413)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	26	(175)	(76)	(413)
Comprehensive Income, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	17	(203)	(94)	(451)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	0
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Macy's, Inc. shareholders	$ 17	$ (203)	$ (94)	$ (451)