Retrogrades › Mercury › 2025
Mercury is retrograde three times in 2025: Mar 15 – Apr 7 in Aries and Pisces; Jul 18 – Aug 11 in Leo; Nov 9 – Nov 29 in Sagittarius and Scorpio.
| Pre-shadow begins | Retrograde | Direct | Post-shadow ends | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2025 | Mar 15, 2025, 2:48 AM ET | Apr 7, 2025, 7:06 AM ET | Apr 26, 2025 | 9°35′ ♈︎ Aries → ♓︎ Pisces 26°50′ |
| Jun 30, 2025 | Jul 18, 2025, 12:39 AM ET | Aug 11, 2025, 3:32 AM ET | Aug 25, 2025 | 15°34′ ♌︎ Leo 4°15′ |
| Oct 21, 2025 | Nov 9, 2025, 1:59 PM ET | Nov 29, 2025, 12:40 PM ET | Dec 16, 2025 | 6°52′ ♐︎ Sagittarius → ♏︎ Scorpio 20°42′ |
Mar 15, 2025 – Apr 7, 2025 · 23 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 9°35′ Aries on Mar 15, 2025, 2:48 AM ET (2025-03-15 06:48 UTC) and direct at 26°50′ Pisces on Apr 7, 2025, 7:06 AM ET (2025-04-07 11:06 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to impulsive decisions, independence and new starts, then intuition, dreams and endings.
Shadow: Mar 1, 2025 – Apr 26, 2025.
Jul 18, 2025 – Aug 11, 2025 · 24 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 15°34′ Leo on Jul 18, 2025, 12:39 AM ET (2025-07-18 04:39 UTC) and direct at 4°15′ Leo on Aug 11, 2025, 3:32 AM ET (2025-08-11 07:32 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to creativity, romance and self-expression.
Shadow: Jun 30, 2025 – Aug 25, 2025.
Nov 9, 2025 – Nov 29, 2025 · 20 days
Mercury turns retrograde at 6°52′ Sagittarius on Nov 9, 2025, 1:59 PM ET (2025-11-09 18:59 UTC) and direct at 20°42′ Scorpio on Nov 29, 2025, 12:40 PM ET (2025-11-29 17:40 UTC).
Astrologers link this retrograde to travel, education and beliefs, then shared money, secrets and emotional depth.
Shadow: Oct 21, 2025 – Dec 16, 2025.
Mercury rules communication, travel, technology and contracts. During its retrograde astrologers advise reviewing rather than launching: double-check messages and bookings, back up devices, and revisit old plans or conversations.
Retrograde motion is an optical effect: Earth and Mercury move at different speeds, so Mercury appears to drift backward against the stars for a while. Our dates are station times — when the apparent motion reverses — calculated with Astronomy Engine; see the methodology.
Same year: Venus retrograde 2025 · Mars retrograde 2025 · Jupiter retrograde 2025 · Saturn retrograde 2025 · All planets now
Mercury is retrograde three times in 2025: Mar 15 – Apr 7 in Aries and Pisces; Jul 18 – Aug 11 in Leo; Nov 9 – Nov 29 in Sagittarius and Scorpio.
About 67 days in total during 2025; each retrograde lasts 23 days, 24 days and 20 days. Including the pre- and post-shadow, each cycle spans roughly 56 days.
The pre-shadow starts when Mercury first reaches the degree where it will turn direct; the post-shadow ends when it passes the degree where it turned retrograde. The dates are in the table above.
Astrology is a symbolic and cultural tradition. The planetary positions on this site are calculated with astronomical accuracy; the interpretations describe what astrologers associate with them and are not scientifically validated predictions about personality, relationships or the future.