Is Mercury in retrograde right now?
No.
Mercury is moving forward through Scorpio. The next retrograde starts on October 24, 2026, in 8 days, in Scorpio.
Updated hourly from the ephemeris. Dates in US Eastern time.
Mercury retrograde dates
| Starts | Ends | Sign | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 18, 2025 | August 11, 2025 | Leo | Past |
| November 9, 2025 | November 29, 2025 | Sagittarius into Scorpio | Past |
| February 26, 2026 | March 20, 2026 | Pisces | Past |
| June 29, 2026 | July 23, 2026 | Cancer | Past |
| October 24, 2026 | November 13, 2026 | Scorpio | Next |
| February 9, 2027 | March 3, 2027 | Pisces into Aquarius | |
| June 10, 2027 | July 4, 2027 | Cancer into Gemini | |
| October 7, 2027 | October 28, 2027 | Scorpio into Libra |
What it means
Mercury retrograde is an optical illusion. Mercury circles the Sun much faster than Earth does, and about three times a year, for roughly three weeks each time, it passes us on its inside track. From our moving viewpoint, it appears to slide backward across the sky for a while, even though it never changes direction. Astrologers link Mercury with talking and paperwork, so these weeks are a traditional time to slow down and double-check. Nothing breaks because of it, and you don't need to cancel your plans. The habits that help are simple: reread messages before you send them, confirm dates and addresses, back up your phone, and leave extra time for travel. It's also a good stretch for words that start with re, like review, revise, reread and reconnect. Finishing old projects often goes better than launching new ones.
Where does it land in your chart?
Each retrograde happens in one part of your chart, one of the twelve houses, and that's the area of life it tends to stir up. Enter your birth details to see yours.
The retrograde from Oct 24, in Scorpio
Questions
What does Mercury retrograde actually mean?
About three times a year Mercury appears to move backwards against the stars for around three weeks. It doesn't really reverse: Mercury, on its faster inside track, overtakes Earth, and from here it looks like it slides back.
What should I avoid during Mercury retrograde?
Nothing has to stop. Astrologers suggest slowing down on new contracts and big tech purchases, double-checking travel plans and messages, and using the time to revise, reconnect and finish old work.
How often does Mercury go retrograde?
Three or four times a year, for about three weeks each time. There's also a shadow period of a couple of weeks either side, when Mercury covers the same stretch of the zodiac.