Overview and Basis of Presentation (Schedule of Prior Period Reclassifications for Revenue) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
		Jul. 31, 2020	Aug. 02, 2019		Jul. 31, 2020	Aug. 02, 2019
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue	[1],[2]	$ 2,875	$ 2,632	[3]	$ 5,609	$ 5,082	[3]
License
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue	[1],[2]	719	773	[3]	1,379	1,419	[3]
Operating expenses	[1],[4]	35	38	[3]	74	74	[3]
License | Pivotal
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue			0			0
Operating expenses			0			0
License | Previously Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue			1,011			1,879
Operating expenses			50			101
License | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue			(238)			(460)
Operating expenses			(12)			(27)
Subscription and SaaS
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue	[1],[2]	631	439	[3]	1,204	850	[3]
Operating expenses	[1],[4]	132	97	[3]	258	191	[3]
Subscription and SaaS | Pivotal
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue			133			259
Operating expenses			24			49
Subscription and SaaS | Previously Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue			0			0
Operating expenses			0			0
Subscription and SaaS | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue			306			591
Operating expenses			73			142
Services
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue	[1],[2]	1,525	1,420	[3]	3,026	2,813	[3]
Operating expenses	[1],[4]	$ 321	306	[3]	$ 639	605	[3]
Services | Pivotal
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue			60			118
Operating expenses			52			103
Services | Previously Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue			1,428			2,826
Operating expenses			315			617
Services | Restatement Adjustment
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Revenue			(68)			(131)
Operating expenses			$ (61)			$ (115)

[1] Effective the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020, revenue recognized from subscription and SaaS offerings, as well as the related cost of subscription and SaaS revenue, are being presented separately (refer to Note A).

[2] Includes related party revenue as follows (refer to Note C):License$364 $360 $687 $639Subscription and SaaS122 79 237 151Services478 350 921 676

[3] Adjusted to reflect the recast of prior period information due to the Pivotal Software, Inc. (“Pivotal”) acquisition in fiscal 2020, which was accounted for as a transaction between entities under common control (refer to Note A).

[4] Includes stock-based compensation as follows:Cost of license revenue$— $— $1 $1Cost of subscription and SaaS revenue5 3 9 6Cost of services revenue26 20 48 38Research and development132 109 257 211Sales and marketing88 68 159 129General and administrative42 34 91 64