Simply hearing the phrase “Mercury retrograde” might be enough to send your anxiety skyrocketing, given the astrological event’s reputation for wreaking havoc. But like every transit, there are just as many opportunities as there are challenges to every Mercury retrograde, and all three Mercury retrogrades of 2026 offer the chance to prioritize powerful soul searching and tend to your emotional well-being in a whole new way. Your imagination could run wild as artistic ideas from the past resurface to inspire you, you can revise how you care for your mental well-being, and you can get clear on your most heartfelt desires and needs. Read on to learn about Mercury retrograde's meaning in general and what you can expect from each of 2026’s three Mercury retrogrades.
In astrology, Mercury, the speediest planet in our solar system, oversees communication, transportation, and technology. When the messenger planet moves forward, or is “direct,” the areas of life that it oversees tend to run more smoothly. Sure, you could still hit bad traffic or have to contend with flight delays or misunderstandings with loved ones and missed emails at work when Mercury is direct, but those incidents are more likely to occur when Mercury is retrograde. This happens three to four times a year, for about three weeks at a time, when Mercury appears to move backward from our vantage point here on Earth.
Although Mercury retrogrades can spur chaos, confusion, and crossed wires, I can assure you as the author of Mercury Magic: How to Thrive During Retrogrades and Tap Into the Power of the Messenger Planet All Year Long, these periods are also opportunities to slow down, retrace your footsteps, tie up loose ends, reflect, revise, and reimagine what you want a particular area of your life to look like. Basically, as much as hustle culture would have us constantly pushing ahead, it’s impossible to move forward 24/7/365. So Mercury retrograde nudges us to rest, look in the rearview, and learn from the past to be even more prepared for what lies ahead.
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When Is Mercury Retrograde in 2026?
Mercury will be retrograde three times in 2026:
Mercury retrograde in Pisces: February 25 at 10:48 pm PT/February 26 at 1:48 a.m. ET to March 20 at 12:32 p.m. PT/3:32 p.m. ETMercury retrograde in Cancer: June 29 at 10:35 am PT/1:35 p.m. ET to July 23 at 3:57 p.m. PT/6:57 p.m. ETMercury retrograde in Scorpio: October 24 at 12:12 a.m. PT/3:12 p.m. ET to November 13, 2026, at 7:53 a.m. PT/10:53 a.m. ETEXPLORE - The Numerology of 2026: What the Year Means and Why It Matters
EachMercury Retrograde of 2026: What to Expect
Each of the three Mercury retrogrades in 2026 falls in water signs, making for three distinct opportunities for self-work around emotional territory, whether you’re meditating on healing old emotional wounds, revising your approach to caring for your emotional health, or rethinking how to best channel what’s in your heart into an artistic project. Here’s what you can expect for each of Mercury’s backspins.
In late winter, Mercury will move back through the mutable water sign, and the twelfth sign of the zodiac. Mercury’s retrograde back through the sign of the Fish will inspire you to explore themes of empathy, healing yourself and others, tapping into your emotions for spiritual growth, allowing your imagination to run wild, and thinking about how to potentially channel your emotions into an opportunity for artistic self-expression.
Because Pisces is ruled by Neptune, the planet of mysticism that clouds rational thought, it can be tough to pinpoint concrete facts and solid information when Mercury is in the sign, and when Mercury is retrograde in Pisces, you might encounter even more confusion, haziness, and idealism that clouds the truth of a matter. The benefit of this transit, however, is that it encourages deep, meaningful self-reflection and the chance to take stock of how you’ve been tending to your emotional and mental health.
The star signs who will feel Mercury retrograde in Pisces the most include Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces.
Mercury Retrograde in Cancer: June 29 to July 23, 2026
In the summer, Mercury will be retrograde in the cardinal water sign, which is associated with the Fourth House of Home Life. In turn, you’ll be invited to take walks down memory lane, ideally alongside your nearest and dearest, and to revise how you’re handling various domestic matters. Cancerian themes include security, emotional well-being, comfort, caregiving, sensitivity, intuition, home, family, and safety, so expect an uptick in introspection and revision around all of these aspects of life.
It also bears noting that Cancer, ruled by the moon, tends to see and engage with the world through the lens of their emotions, so Mercury retrograde’s stereotypical miscommunications could be fueled by the struggle to separate feelings from facts. But the positive side of Mercury retrograde in Cancer is that you can harness the sign’s innate sentimentality to create pure magic with loved ones. You can go back in time by revisiting a beloved family vacation destination or recreating a whimsical date night with your S.O.
The zodiac signs that Summer's Mercury retrograde in Cancer will most impact are Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn.
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Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio: October 24 to November 13, 2026
In the fall, Mercury will be retrograde in the fixed water sign, which is associated with the Eighth House of Intimacy and Joint Resources. Whether you’ve been wanting to revisit a conversation around your needs in the bedroom or regarding shared financial aspirations, this Mercury retrograde is a chance to navigate deeply emotional, possibly even challenging terrain. After all, Scorpios balk at superficial interactions, preferring to go way beneath the surface to understand and connect on a meaningful level.
Co-ruled by Mars, the planet of energy and action, and Pluto, the planet of transformation and power, this can be an especially cathartic Mercury retrograde if you’re willing to tap into vulnerability, shed light on the shadow side of life, address any ongoingly problematic dynamics in relationships, and be honest about what you need to feel comfortable within your closest bonds. You can also use this retrograde to edit game plans for achieving money-related goals with a significant other or loved one. Just take note that because Scorpio is one of the fixed signs, we’ll all be more likely to dig our heels in, even when confusion and crossed wires reign supreme, so striving for more open-mindedness and adaptability will be key.
The signs that will feel Mercury retrograde in Scorpio the most are Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius.
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