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♓︎ Pisces, ♋︎ Cancer and ♏︎ Scorpio

In the pre-shadow now

Mercury retrograde 2026

Mercury is retrograde three times in 2026: February 26 – March 20, 2026 (Pisces); June 29 – July 23, 2026 (Cancer); October 24 – November 13, 2026 (Scorpio). Each period has a shadow on either side. Messages, plans, travel, paperwork and devices need a second look then — a good time to revise, reconnect and double-check rather than launch.

Where does it land in your chart?What it means for your rising sign ↓

Timeline

Feb 26 – Mar 20 · Pisces

  1. Pre-shadow begins

    8°29′ Pisces

  2. Stations retrograde

    22°34′ Pisces

  3. Stations direct

    8°29′ Pisces

  4. Shadow ends

    22°34′ Pisces

Jun 29 – Jul 23 · Cancer

  1. Pre-shadow begins

    16°19′ Cancer

  2. Stations retrograde

    26°15′ Cancer

  3. Stations direct

    16°19′ Cancer

  4. Shadow ends

    26°15′ Cancer

Oct 24 – Nov 13 · Scorpio

  1. Pre-shadow begins

    5°02′ Scorpio

  2. Stations retrograde

    20°59′ Scorpio

  3. Stations direct

    5°02′ Scorpio

  4. Shadow ends

    20°59′ Scorpio

What it means

Mercury is the fastest planet, and three or four times a year it appears to slow down, stop and run backwards for about three weeks as the Earth passes it. In 2026 the periods last 23, 24 and 20 days from station to station. Mercury describes how we think, talk, learn, travel and trade, so its retrograde is famous for delays, crossed wires and second thoughts. The more useful reading is simpler: it is a built-in review period for anything that runs on information.

February 26 – March 20, 2026: In Pisces, thinking becomes intuitive and blurry. Dreams, creative work and quiet reflection go well; precise logistics need extra checks.

June 29 – July 23, 2026: In Cancer, conversations turn personal. Family talks, home logistics and old memories return, and tone matters more than facts.

October 24 – November 13, 2026: In Scorpio, Mercury digs. Secrets, research, shared money and conversations people have avoided come to the surface.

Venus is retrograde at the same time (Oct 3 – Nov 13), so the review covers more than one area of life at once.

Mercury retrograde does not break phones or doom contracts. It tends to expose what was already unclear. If you plan buffers, read the small print and expect a few reruns of old conversations, it is one of the most productive editing windows of the year.

Mercury retrograde 2026

Where does it land in your chart?

Enter your birth details. We calculate your chart on the spot and show the house this event moves through and any of your planets it touches.

Birth time
Birth place

What it means for your rising sign

Read your rising sign (Ascendant) first — it sets which area of life the event moves through. Whole-sign houses; the chart check above uses your exact houses.

Aries rising

12th house → 4th house → 8th house

Feb 26 – Mar 20 · 12th house.Rest, privacy and inner work help most. Journaling and quiet reflection beat big announcements during this one.

Jun 29 – Jul 23 · 4th house.Home and family logistics get tangled: repairs, moves, family talks. Revisit the plan before you sign or pack.

Oct 24 – Nov 13 · 8th house.Shared money, debts, taxes and private talks are revisited. Read contracts slowly and say the hard thing kindly.

Taurus rising

11th house → 3rd house → 7th house

Feb 26 – Mar 20 · 11th house.Friends, groups and online communities are the theme. Reconnect with old friends and review your commitments to groups.

Jun 29 – Jul 23 · 3rd house.Everyday messages, short trips and siblings are in focus. Reread texts, leave early, and expect old contacts to reach out.

Oct 24 – Nov 13 · 7th house.Partners and agreements: renegotiate terms, clarify expectations, and give important conversations a second round.

Gemini rising

10th house → 2nd house → 6th house

Feb 26 – Mar 20 · 10th house.Career messages and public plans need care. Proofread anything your boss or clients will see; past opportunities can reopen.

Jun 29 – Jul 23 · 2nd house.Money conversations, invoices and purchases need a second look. Check statements and avoid buying gadgets on impulse.

Oct 24 – Nov 13 · 6th house.Work routines, to-do lists and health habits are in review. Back up files, fix the process, not just the symptom.

Cancer rising

9th house → 1st house → 5th house

Feb 26 – Mar 20 · 9th house.Travel, study and publishing slow down. Check bookings twice and return to a course or text you left unfinished.

Jun 29 – Jul 23 · 1st house.Your self-presentation and personal plans are in review — update how you introduce yourself and finish what you started for yourself.

Oct 24 – Nov 13 · 5th house.Creative projects, dating and play come back around. An old idea or an old flame may return; edit before you publish.

Leo rising

8th house → 12th house → 4th house

Feb 26 – Mar 20 · 8th house.Shared money, debts, taxes and private talks are revisited. Read contracts slowly and say the hard thing kindly.

Jun 29 – Jul 23 · 12th house.Rest, privacy and inner work help most. Journaling and quiet reflection beat big announcements during this one.

Oct 24 – Nov 13 · 4th house.Home and family logistics get tangled: repairs, moves, family talks. Revisit the plan before you sign or pack.

Virgo rising

7th house → 11th house → 3rd house

Feb 26 – Mar 20 · 7th house.Partners and agreements: renegotiate terms, clarify expectations, and give important conversations a second round.

Jun 29 – Jul 23 · 11th house.Friends, groups and online communities are the theme. Reconnect with old friends and review your commitments to groups.

Oct 24 – Nov 13 · 3rd house.Everyday messages, short trips and siblings are in focus. Reread texts, leave early, and expect old contacts to reach out.

Libra rising

6th house → 10th house → 2nd house

Feb 26 – Mar 20 · 6th house.Work routines, to-do lists and health habits are in review. Back up files, fix the process, not just the symptom.

Jun 29 – Jul 23 · 10th house.Career messages and public plans need care. Proofread anything your boss or clients will see; past opportunities can reopen.

Oct 24 – Nov 13 · 2nd house.Money conversations, invoices and purchases need a second look. Check statements and avoid buying gadgets on impulse.

Scorpio rising

5th house → 9th house → 1st house

Feb 26 – Mar 20 · 5th house.Creative projects, dating and play come back around. An old idea or an old flame may return; edit before you publish.

Jun 29 – Jul 23 · 9th house.Travel, study and publishing slow down. Check bookings twice and return to a course or text you left unfinished.

Oct 24 – Nov 13 · 1st house.Your self-presentation and personal plans are in review — update how you introduce yourself and finish what you started for yourself.

Sagittarius rising

4th house → 8th house → 12th house

Feb 26 – Mar 20 · 4th house.Home and family logistics get tangled: repairs, moves, family talks. Revisit the plan before you sign or pack.

Jun 29 – Jul 23 · 8th house.Shared money, debts, taxes and private talks are revisited. Read contracts slowly and say the hard thing kindly.

Oct 24 – Nov 13 · 12th house.Rest, privacy and inner work help most. Journaling and quiet reflection beat big announcements during this one.

Capricorn rising

3rd house → 7th house → 11th house

Feb 26 – Mar 20 · 3rd house.Everyday messages, short trips and siblings are in focus. Reread texts, leave early, and expect old contacts to reach out.

Jun 29 – Jul 23 · 7th house.Partners and agreements: renegotiate terms, clarify expectations, and give important conversations a second round.

Oct 24 – Nov 13 · 11th house.Friends, groups and online communities are the theme. Reconnect with old friends and review your commitments to groups.

Aquarius rising

2nd house → 6th house → 10th house

Feb 26 – Mar 20 · 2nd house.Money conversations, invoices and purchases need a second look. Check statements and avoid buying gadgets on impulse.

Jun 29 – Jul 23 · 6th house.Work routines, to-do lists and health habits are in review. Back up files, fix the process, not just the symptom.

Oct 24 – Nov 13 · 10th house.Career messages and public plans need care. Proofread anything your boss or clients will see; past opportunities can reopen.

Pisces rising

1st house → 5th house → 9th house

Feb 26 – Mar 20 · 1st house.Your self-presentation and personal plans are in review — update how you introduce yourself and finish what you started for yourself.

Jun 29 – Jul 23 · 5th house.Creative projects, dating and play come back around. An old idea or an old flame may return; edit before you publish.

Oct 24 – Nov 13 · 9th house.Travel, study and publishing slow down. Check bookings twice and return to a course or text you left unfinished.

What to do, what to avoid

Good use of this time

  • Revise, edit and finish — drafts, plans, applications.
  • Back up your phone and computer before the station.
  • Leave buffers in travel plans and confirm bookings twice.
  • Reconnect with people you lost touch with.
  • Read contracts slowly and ask questions before signing.

Go easy on

  • Launching brand-new projects on the day of a station.
  • Signing important contracts without a careful read.
  • Assuming everyone understood your message the same way.
  • Treating every glitch as a sign — most are just glitches.

Questions people ask

When is Mercury retrograde in 2026?

Three times: February 26 – March 20, 2026, 22°34′ Pisces to 8°29′ Pisces; June 29 – July 23, 2026, 26°15′ Cancer to 16°19′ Cancer; October 24 – November 13, 2026, 20°59′ Scorpio to 5°02′ Scorpio. Dates are US Eastern; the table above shows your local times.

When is the Mercury retrograde shadow?

Feb 11 – April 9, 2026 (pre-shadow from 8°29′, post-shadow until Mercury regains 22°34′ Pisces); Jun 12 – August 6, 2026 (pre-shadow from 16°19′, post-shadow until Mercury regains 26°15′ Cancer); Oct 4 – November 30, 2026 (pre-shadow from 5°02′, post-shadow until Mercury regains 20°59′ Scorpio).

What should you not do during Mercury retrograde?

Nothing is forbidden. It helps not to rush signatures, big tech purchases or brand-new launches, and to double-check travel and messages. Finishing, fixing and reviewing work well.

Does Mercury retrograde affect everyone?

Everyone lives under the same sky, but it is felt most in the house it moves through in your chart and by people with planets close to the station degrees. The chart check on this page shows yours.

When is the next Mercury retrograde after 2026?

February 9, 2027, starting at 5°59′ Pisces and ending on March 3, 2027.

More dates to know

Free birth chart calculatorRising sign, houses and every planet — no sign-upPersonal transitsWhat today's sky does to your own chartAstro calendarMoon phases, stations and ingresses, day by day

Terms on this page

How this page was made: every date, time, degree and sign is calculated by Astraly's ephemeris engine (VSOP87 planetary theory, Meeus algorithms for lunations and eclipses) and refined to the minute. The interpretation was written by the Astraly editorial team with AI assistance and reviewed by a person. Astrology is a reflective tool, not a prediction of events, and nothing here is medical, legal or financial advice. Updated October 15, 2026.