2.4.0.8004200 - Disclosure - Shareholders' Equity (Details)truefalseShare data in Millions, unless otherwise specifiedfalse1false USDfalsefalse$FROM_May04_2013_TO_Aug02_2013http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000060667duration2013-05-04T00:00:002013-08-02T00:00:00SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$2false USDfalsefalse$FROM_May05_2012_TO_Aug03_2012http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000060667duration2012-05-05T00:00:002012-08-03T00:00:00SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$3false USDfalsefalse$FROM_Feb02_2013_TO_Aug02_2013http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000060667duration2013-02-02T00:00:002013-08-02T00:00:00SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$4false USDfalsefalse$FROM_Feb04_2012_TO_Aug03_2012http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000060667duration2012-02-04T00:00:002012-08-03T00:00:00SharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$1true 1us-gaap_StockholdersEquityNoteAbstractus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Shareholders' Equity2false 2low_AdjustmentsToRetainedEarningsShareRepurchaselow_falsedebitdurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboseLabel1truefalsefalse863000000863000000USD$falsetruefalse2truefalsefalse921000000921000000USD$falsetruefalse3truefalsefalse18360000001836000000USD$falsetruefalse4truefalsefalse25780000002578000000USD$falsetruefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryAdjustment to the reporting entity's retained earnings that represents amounts paid to purchase shares in excess of the cumulative balance of capital in excess of par value.No definition available.false2Reduction in retained earnings3true 3low_ShareRepurchasesLineItemslow_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Share Repurchases4false 4us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValueus-gaap_truedebitdurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse10050000001005000000[1]USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse10030000001003000000[1]USD$falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse20510000002051000000[2]USD$falsefalsefalse4truefalsefalse27930000002793000000[2]USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryEquity impact of the value of stock that has been repurchased and retired during the period. The excess of the purchase price over par value can be charged against retained earnings (once the excess is fully allocated to additional paid in capital).Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30, 31 -Article 5 false2Share repurchases, value5false 4us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodSharesus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse2720000027.2falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse3690000036.9falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse5160000051.6falsefalsefalse4truefalsefalse9620000096.2falsefalsefalsexbrli:sharesItemTypesharesNumber of shares that have been repurchased and retired during the period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30 -Article 5 false1Share repurchases, shares6false 0truefalsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse5false USDtruefalse$FROM_May04_2013_TO_Aug02_2013_low_ShareRepurchasesAxis_ShareRepurchaseProgramMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000060667duration2013-05-04T00:00:002013-08-02T00:00:00falsefalseShare Repurchase Program [Member]low_ShareRepurchasesAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldilow_ShareRepurchaseProgramMemberlow_ShareRepurchasesAxisexplicitMemberSharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$nanafalse0Share Repurchase Program [Member]7true 3low_ShareRepurchasesLineItemslow_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Share Repurchases8false 4us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValueus-gaap_truedebitdurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse10030000001003000000[1]USD$falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse10000000001000000000[1]USD$falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse20130000002013000000[2]USD$falsefalsefalse4truefalsefalse27500000002750000000[2]USD$falsefalsefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryEquity impact of the value of stock that has been repurchased and retired during the period. The excess of the purchase price over par value can be charged against retained earnings (once the excess is fully allocated to additional paid in capital).Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30, 31 -Article 5 false2Share repurchases, value9false 4us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodSharesus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse2710000027.1falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse3680000036.8falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse5060000050.6falsefalsefalse4truefalsefalse9470000094.7falsefalsefalsexbrli:sharesItemTypesharesNumber of shares that have been repurchased and retired during the period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30 -Article 5 false1Share repurchases, shares10false 0truefalsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse9false USDtruefalse$FROM_May04_2013_TO_Aug02_2013_low_ShareRepurchasesAxis_SharesRepurchasedFromEmployeesMemberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000060667duration2013-05-04T00:00:002013-08-02T00:00:00falsefalseShares Withheld from Employees [Member]low_ShareRepurchasesAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldilow_SharesRepurchasedFromEmployeesMemberlow_ShareRepurchasesAxisexplicitMemberSharesStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$nanafalse0Shares Withheld from Employees [Member]11true 3low_ShareRepurchasesLineItemslow_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboseLabel1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse2falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse3falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalse4falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Share Repurchases12false 4us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodValueus-gaap_truedebitdurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse20000002000000[1]USD$falsetruefalse2truefalsefalse30000003000000[1]USD$falsetruefalse3truefalsefalse3800000038000000[2]USD$falsetruefalse4truefalsefalse4300000043000000[2]USD$falsetruefalsexbrli:monetaryItemTypemonetaryEquity impact of the value of stock that has been repurchased and retired during the period. The excess of the purchase price over par value can be charged against retained earnings (once the excess is fully allocated to additional paid in capital).Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30, 31 -Article 5 false2Share repurchases, value13false 4us-gaap_StockRepurchasedAndRetiredDuringPeriodSharesus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterseLabel1truefalsefalse1000000.1falsefalsefalse2truefalsefalse1000000.1falsefalsefalse3truefalsefalse10000001.0falsefalsefalse4truefalsefalse15000001.5falsefalsefalsexbrli:sharesItemTypesharesNumber of shares that have been repurchased and retired during the period.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Article 3 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 505 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29, 30 -Article 5 false1Share repurchases, shares1Reductions of $863 million and $921 million were recorded to retained earnings, after capital in excess of par value was depleted, for the three months ended August 2, 2013 and August 3, 2012, respectively.2Reductions of $1.8 billion and $2.6 billion were recorded to retained earnings, after capital in excess of par value was depleted, for the six months ended August 2, 2013 and August 3, 2012, respectively.falseShareholders' Equity (Details) (USD $)NoRoundingHundredThousandsUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://lowes.com/role/DisclosureShareholdersEquityDetails413