Condensed Consolidating Financial Information (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Aug. 03, 2019	May 04, 2019	Feb. 02, 2019	Aug. 04, 2018	May 05, 2018	Feb. 03, 2018
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 674		$ 1,162	$ 1,068
Receivables	240		400	261
Merchandise inventories	5,029		5,263	4,956
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	603		620	580
Income tax receivable	0			0
Total Current Assets	6,546		7,445	6,865
Property and Equipment - net	6,483		6,637	6,547
Right of Use Assets	2,636		0	0
Goodwill	3,908		3,908	3,908
Other Intangible Assets - net	440		478	483
Other Assets	728		726	865
Deferred Income Taxes	0		0	0
Intercompany Receivable	0		0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0		0	0
Total Assets	20,741		19,194	18,668
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	6		43	63
Merchandise accounts payable	1,674		1,655	1,795
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	2,739		3,366	2,608
Income taxes	20		168	15
Total Current Liabilities	4,439		5,232	4,481
Long-Term Debt	4,680		4,708	5,473
Long-Term Lease Liabilities	2,836		0	0
Intercompany Payable	0		0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	1,206		1,238	1,194
Other Liabilities	1,265		1,580	1,626
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	6,315		6,436	5,916
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0		0	(22)
Total Shareholders’ Equity	6,315	$ 6,323	6,436	5,894	$ 5,801	$ 5,733
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	20,741		19,194	18,668
Parent
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	320		889	744
Receivables	1		0	1
Merchandise inventories	0		0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0		0	0
Income tax receivable	39			46
Total Current Assets	360		889	791
Property and Equipment - net	0		0	0
Right of Use Assets	0
Goodwill	0		0	0
Other Intangible Assets - net	0		0	0
Other Assets	0		0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	9		12	10
Intercompany Receivable	2,564		1,713	1,347
Investment in Subsidiaries	3,484		4,030	3,876
Total Assets	6,417		6,644	6,024
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0		0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0		0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	74		170	84
Income taxes	0		14	0
Total Current Liabilities	74		184	84
Long-Term Debt	0		0	0
Long-Term Lease Liabilities	0
Intercompany Payable	0		0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	0		0	0
Other Liabilities	28		24	24
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	6,315		6,436	5,916
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0		0	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	6,315		6,436	5,916
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	6,417		6,644	6,024
Subsidiary Issuer
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	100		59	66
Receivables	44		68	43
Merchandise inventories	2,138		2,342	2,121
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	139		143	135
Income tax receivable	0			0
Total Current Assets	2,421		2,612	2,365
Property and Equipment - net	3,162		3,287	3,253
Right of Use Assets	660
Goodwill	3,326		3,326	3,326
Other Intangible Assets - net	4		38	41
Other Assets	39		41	89
Deferred Income Taxes	0		0	0
Intercompany Receivable	0		0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	2,957		3,119	3,140
Total Assets	12,569		12,423	12,214
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	6		42	42
Merchandise accounts payable	717		713	788
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	754		950	777
Income taxes	47		52	33
Total Current Liabilities	1,524		1,757	1,640
Long-Term Debt	4,680		4,692	5,457
Long-Term Lease Liabilities	594
Intercompany Payable	3,207		3,103	2,385
Deferred Income Taxes	643		679	588
Other Liabilities	364		406	441
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	1,557		1,786	1,703
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0		0	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	1,557		1,786	1,703
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	12,569		12,423	12,214
Other Subsidiaries
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	254		214	258
Receivables	195		332	217
Merchandise inventories	2,891		2,921	2,835
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	464		477	445
Income tax receivable	0			0
Total Current Assets	3,804		3,944	3,755
Property and Equipment - net	3,321		3,350	3,294
Right of Use Assets	1,976
Goodwill	582		582	582
Other Intangible Assets - net	436		440	442
Other Assets	689		685	776
Deferred Income Taxes	0		0	0
Intercompany Receivable	643		1,390	1,038
Investment in Subsidiaries	0		0	0
Total Assets	11,451		10,391	9,887
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0		1	21
Merchandise accounts payable	957		942	1,007
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	1,911		2,246	1,747
Income taxes	12		102	28
Total Current Liabilities	2,880		3,291	2,803
Long-Term Debt	0		16	16
Long-Term Lease Liabilities	2,242
Intercompany Payable	0		0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	572		571	616
Other Liabilities	873		1,150	1,161
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	4,884		5,363	5,313
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0		0	(22)
Total Shareholders’ Equity	4,884		5,363	5,291
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	11,451		10,391	9,887
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	0		0	0
Receivables	0		0	0
Merchandise inventories	0		0	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	0		0	0
Income tax receivable	(39)			(46)
Total Current Assets	(39)		0	(46)
Property and Equipment - net	0		0	0
Right of Use Assets	0
Goodwill	0		0	0
Other Intangible Assets - net	0		0	0
Other Assets	0		0	0
Deferred Income Taxes	(9)		(12)	(10)
Intercompany Receivable	(3,207)		(3,103)	(2,385)
Investment in Subsidiaries	(6,441)		(7,149)	(7,016)
Total Assets	(9,696)		(10,264)	(9,457)
Current Liabilities:
Short-term debt	0		0	0
Merchandise accounts payable	0		0	0
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	0		0	0
Income taxes	(39)		0	(46)
Total Current Liabilities	(39)		0	(46)
Long-Term Debt	0		0	0
Long-Term Lease Liabilities	0
Intercompany Payable	(3,207)		(3,103)	(2,385)
Deferred Income Taxes	(9)		(12)	(10)
Other Liabilities	0		0	0
Shareholders' Equity, Macy's, Inc.	(6,441)		(7,149)	(7,016)
Shareholders' Equity, noncontrolling interest	0		0	0
Total Shareholders’ Equity	(6,441)		(7,149)	(7,016)
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity	$ (9,696)		$ (10,264)	$ (9,457)