☿︎ Mercury retrograde

Mercury retrograde: every date, 2025–2030

Mercury rules words, messages, contracts, travel, technology and trade. Three or four times a year, for about three weeks each time.

I’m walking backwards with Mercury, for now.

Is Mercury retrograde right now?

Yes

Mercury is retrograde in Scorpio until Fri 13 Nov 2026.

It turned retrograde on Sat 24 Oct 2026. The shadow after it lasts until Mon 30 Nov 2026.

Retrograde Shadow Today

The dates

All Mercury retrogrades

Times shown in UTC

2025

Pre-shadow	Retrograde	Direct	Post-shadow ends	Signs
Sat 1 Mar 2025	Sat 15 Mar 2025, 06:49 9°35′ Aries	Mon 7 Apr 2025, 11:07 26°50′ Pisces	Sat 26 Apr 2025	Aries → Pisces · 23 days
Mon 30 Jun 2025	Fri 18 Jul 2025, 04:38 15°34′ Leo	Mon 11 Aug 2025, 07:31 4°15′ Leo	Mon 25 Aug 2025	Leo · 24 days
Tue 21 Oct 2025	Sun 9 Nov 2025, 18:56 6°52′ Sagittarius	Sat 29 Nov 2025, 17:43 20°42′ Scorpio	Wed 17 Dec 2025	Sagittarius → Scorpio · 20 days

2026

Pre-shadow	Retrograde	Direct	Post-shadow ends	Signs
Wed 11 Feb 2026	Thu 26 Feb 2026, 06:47 22°34′ Pisces	Fri 20 Mar 2026, 19:37 8°29′ Pisces	Thu 9 Apr 2026	Pisces · 23 days
Sat 13 Jun 2026	Mon 29 Jun 2026, 17:37 26°15′ Cancer	Thu 23 Jul 2026, 22:55 16°19′ Cancer	Fri 7 Aug 2026	Cancer · 24 days
Sun 4 Oct 2026	Sat 24 Oct 2026, 07:11 20°59′ Scorpio	Fri 13 Nov 2026, 15:55 5°02′ Scorpio	Mon 30 Nov 2026	Scorpio · 20 days

2027

Pre-shadow	Retrograde	Direct	Post-shadow ends	Signs
Mon 25 Jan 2027	Tue 9 Feb 2027, 17:35 5°59′ Pisces	Wed 3 Mar 2027, 12:37 20°55′ Aquarius	Tue 23 Mar 2027	Pisces → Aquarius · 22 days
Wed 26 May 2027	Thu 10 Jun 2027, 18:20 6°22′ Cancer	Sun 4 Jul 2027, 19:39 27°28′ Gemini	Mon 19 Jul 2027	Cancer → Gemini · 24 days
Fri 17 Sep 2027	Thu 7 Oct 2027, 14:36 4°56′ Scorpio	Thu 28 Oct 2027, 14:12 19°19′ Libra	Sat 13 Nov 2027	Scorpio → Libra · 21 days

2028

Pre-shadow	Retrograde	Direct	Post-shadow ends	Signs
Sat 8 Jan 2028	Mon 24 Jan 2028, 11:02 19°42′ Aquarius	Mon 14 Feb 2028, 12:42 3°59′ Aquarius	Sun 5 Mar 2028	Aquarius · 21 days
Sat 6 May 2028	Sun 21 May 2028, 08:41 16°19′ Gemini	Wed 14 Jun 2028, 06:06 7°45′ Gemini	Thu 29 Jun 2028	Gemini · 24 days
Wed 30 Aug 2028	Tue 19 Sep 2028, 16:27 18°36′ Libra	Wed 11 Oct 2028, 10:30 3°29′ Libra	Thu 26 Oct 2028	Libra · 22 days

2029

Pre-shadow	Retrograde	Direct	Post-shadow ends	Signs
Thu 21 Dec 2028	Sun 7 Jan 2029, 07:55 3°38′ Aquarius	Sat 27 Jan 2029, 18:41 17°32′ Capricorn	Fri 16 Feb 2029	Aquarius → Capricorn · 20 days
Tue 17 Apr 2029	Tue 1 May 2029, 23:12 26°40′ Taurus	Fri 25 May 2029, 19:15 17°34′ Taurus	Sun 10 Jun 2029	Taurus · 24 days
Mon 13 Aug 2029	Sun 2 Sep 2029, 12:12 1°50′ Libra	Tue 25 Sep 2029, 02:03 17°27′ Virgo	Tue 9 Oct 2029	Libra → Virgo · 23 days
Tue 4 Dec 2029	Sat 22 Dec 2029, 05:47 17°42′ Capricorn	Fri 11 Jan 2030, 05:48 1°26′ Capricorn	Wed 30 Jan 2030	Capricorn · 20 days

2030

Pre-shadow	Retrograde	Direct	Post-shadow ends	Signs
Sat 30 Mar 2030	Sat 13 Apr 2030, 02:29 7°48′ Taurus	Mon 6 May 2030, 20:18 27°26′ Aries	Fri 24 May 2030	Taurus → Aries · 24 days
Sat 27 Jul 2030	Fri 16 Aug 2030, 01:21 14°30′ Virgo	Sun 8 Sep 2030, 09:21 1°06′ Virgo	Sun 22 Sep 2030	Virgo · 23 days
Sun 17 Nov 2030	Fri 6 Dec 2030, 02:41 1°52′ Capricorn	Wed 25 Dec 2030, 21:21 15°33′ Sagittarius	Mon 13 Jan 2031	Capricorn → Sagittarius · 20 days

What it means

Mercury retrograde, plainly

Mercury seems to move backwards for about three weeks, three or four times a year. Tradition sees it as a time when communication, plans and machines go wrong. Emails get lost, trains are late and people miss details. It is a pause, not a disaster. It is a good time for anything that starts with “re”, such as review, revise and reconnect.

Its shadow is about two weeks before and after the retrograde, when Mercury passes the same degrees. Check plans made during the shadow twice.

Traditionally avoid

Signing contracts or leases that you cannot easily cancel
Buying phones, laptops or cars
Launching a website, product or campaign
Booking travel with short connections

Good for

Reading again, editing and finishing drafts
Contacting old friends and clients again
Backing up, fixing and organising your devices
Looking at a decision again with a clear mind

Timing something? Find the best days around this retrograde. Other retrogrades: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto.

Questions

Is Mercury retrograde right now?

Yes. Mercury is retrograde in Scorpio until Fri 13 Nov 2026.

When is Mercury retrograde in 2026?

From Thu 26 Feb 2026 to Fri 20 Mar 2026, in Pisces. From Mon 29 Jun 2026 to Thu 23 Jul 2026, in Cancer. From Sat 24 Oct 2026 to Fri 13 Nov 2026, in Scorpio (UTC).

When is Mercury retrograde in 2027?

From Tue 9 Feb 2027 to Wed 3 Mar 2027, in Pisces and Aquarius. From Thu 10 Jun 2027 to Sun 4 Jul 2027, in Cancer and Gemini. From Thu 7 Oct 2027 to Thu 28 Oct 2027, in Scorpio and Libra (UTC).

How long does Mercury retrograde last?

Three or four times a year, for about three weeks each time. Between 2025 and 2030 its retrogrades average 22 days, not counting the shadow.

What should I avoid during Mercury retrograde?

Tradition advises against the following. Signing contracts or leases that you cannot easily cancel. Buying phones, laptops or cars. Launching a website, product or campaign. Booking travel with short connections.

What is Mercury retrograde good for?

Tradition sees it as a good time for the following. Reading again, editing and finishing drafts. Contacting old friends and clients again. Backing up, fixing and organising your devices. Looking at a decision again with a clear mind.