Mercury retrograde 2026: dates

Mercury goes retrograde three, sometimes four, times a year for about three weeks. Shadow periods of two to three weeks wrap each one, so a full cycle lasts around two months.

Mercury rules thinking, talking, messages, short trips and small purchases. During the retrograde these areas tend to bring delays, misunderstandings and rework, and old topics often resurface.

It is considered a good time to finish what is pending rather than start fresh, to reread before sending and to back things up. The sign the retrograde happens in hints at where it will be felt.