Upcoming Mercury retrograde dates
- October 24 to November 13, in Scorpio: retrograde from to , shadow from to .
- February 9 to March 3, in Pisces and Aquarius: retrograde from to , shadow from to .
- June 10 to July 4, in Cancer and Gemini: retrograde from to , shadow from to .
- October 7 to October 28, in Scorpio and Libra: retrograde from to , shadow from to .
Full calendars with exact times: Mercury retrograde 2026, Mercury retrograde 2027, Mercury retrograde 2028.
What Mercury retrograde is
Mercury never actually reverses. It orbits the Sun in 88 days, much faster than Earth, and about three times a year it passes between Earth and the Sun. As it overtakes us on the inside track, it appears from Earth to slow down, stop, drift backward against the stars for about three weeks, stop again and move forward. The two turning points are called stations.
The shadow periods
The pre-shadow starts when Mercury first reaches the degree where the retrograde will end. The post-shadow ends when Mercury returns to the degree where it turned retrograde. Between those two dates Mercury covers the same stretch of sky three times, which is why many astrologers treat the whole window, usually about two months, as one retrograde cycle.
What it means in astrology
Mercury rules communication, travel, contracts and technology, so astrologers associate its retrograde with misunderstandings, delays and glitches, and with a good time to review, revise and reconnect rather than launch. Many people avoid signing contracts or buying electronics during the retrograde itself, or at least double-check the details.
Questions
How often is Mercury retrograde?
Three or four times a year, for about three weeks each time. In total Mercury is retrograde for roughly 19 percent of the year.
Which time zone are these dates in?
The pages are written in US Eastern time with UTC alongside. In your browser, the dates and times switch to your own time zone automatically.
How accurate are the dates?
Mercury’s position is calculated from its orbit and the stations are checked against the Swiss Ephemeris, the standard used by astrologers; every station from 2020 to 2030 matches to within 20 minutes.
What should I avoid during Mercury retrograde?
Tradition suggests double-checking contracts, travel bookings and important messages, backing up devices, and leaving room for delays. It is considered a good time for editing, finishing old projects and reconnecting with people.