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Mercury Retrograde Dates for 2025

Mercury
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Parts of this image sourced from NASA

What Is Mercury Retrograde and What Does It Mean for You?

Celeste Longacre
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Mercury Retrograde will begin once again on July 17, 2025. These periods of the year are thought to significantly influence your mood and actions. Learn more and find the 2025 Mercury Retrograde dates.

What Is “Mercury Retrograde”?

Three to four times a year, the planet Mercury appears to travel backward across the sky. We refer to these periods as times when Mercury is in apparent retrograde motion or simply ”Mercury retrograde.” To those who practice astrology, these times were traditionally associated with confusion, delay, and frustration. Think undelivered love letters, email blunders, and frazzled travel plans! This is an excellent time to reflect on the past, however, and it’s said that intuition is high during these periods. Coincidences can be extraordinary.

What Is Retrograde Motion?

The astronomical explanation for retrograde motion starts with understanding that the planets in our solar system orbit the Sun at different distances and speeds. While we orbit the Sun ourselves, we can observe the other planets moving across our sky, following their own paths. 

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Sometimes, it can appear (from our perspective) that a planet has abruptly switched directions and has started to move in reverse across the sky. This is, of course, an illusion caused by the position of Earth in relation to that of the planet since a planet in orbit always travels in one set direction and can’t suddenly reverse course. This is why we call the phenomenon apparent retrograde motion, as it only looks like the planet is moving backward (“retrograde motion”)!

When Is Mercury in Retrograde in 2025?

In 2025, Mercury will be in apparent retrograde motion during the following ranges of dates: 

  • March 14 to April 6
  • July 17 to August 10
  • November 9 to 29

Please note that dates reflect Eastern Time U.S., not Universal Time.

What You Should Do When Mercury is Retrograde

The planet Mercury rules communication in all forms—listening, writing, reading, speaking, and so on—as well as activities closely related to communication, like negotiations and contracts. It also rules travel, automobiles, shipping, and mail.

So, when Mercury is retrograde, try to remain flexible, patient, and understanding, allow extra time for travel, and avoid signing onto any new contracts that you’re unsure of. Double-check your email responses and check in with reservations before you take that trip. Take time to review projects and plans before making decisions.

You can’t stop your life, but plan ahead, have backup plans, and be prepared for people’s shorter fuses and miscommunication.

Take a Moment to Reflect

Some blame Mercury retrograde for all the chaos that happens in their lives. However, this is a good time to sit back and review what you put your energy toward.

For example, if family and faith are important to you, are you putting enough energy into them, or have you overextended in other areas such as your career or a hobby? Losing the balance between different parts of your life can cause them to suffer, so being aware of their connections—especially during Mercury retrograde—can help you maintain or at least better understand how that balance works.

Take a moment to reflect. Mercury retrograde can be an excellent time to take a step back and reanalyze who you are and what you are doing—but do refrain from making any drastic changes until after retrograde has ended.

When Retrograde Ends

When Mercury’s Retrograde ends, some astrologers believe there is a short “shadow period” of adjustment of a couple of weeks as Mercury moves forward again. Don’t rush. Let any miscommunication work itself out. Be prepared for electronic kinks to get resolved.

Stay calm, but start planning to move forward as well. Move into your routine and rhythm. Put the touches on that trip you want to take. Get the paperwork ready to sign contracts or sell your house. Use your energy towards intelligent changes.

Mercury and the Zodiac

The type of influence you feel also depends on which of the 12 zodiac signs Mercury is in when it goes retrograde.

What’s your Zodiac Sign? See here: “Mercury Retrograde and Zodiac Signs.”

Learn more about zodiac sign profiles in general, and check out our monthly horoscopes. Make sure that your gardening does not go awry when Mercury is in retrograde by reading your zodiac profile for gardening.

Astrology
About The Author

Celeste Longacre

Celeste is The Old Farmer's Almanac astrologer. She has also been growing virtually all of her family’s vegetables for the entire year for over 30 years. Read More from Celeste Longacre
 

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Comments

Rita (not verified)

3 years 9 months ago

I am a believer. I worked in Marketing and Communications for many years doing very detailed work and extra caution is needed during this time. I have sat in business meetings and claimed "Mercury Retrograde" in my own defense.

Layne (not verified)

3 years 9 months ago

Mercury is seruisly messing with me I feel so weird

Carolyn (not verified)

3 years 9 months ago

I don't buy any of the Mercury Retrograde stuff, but the picture of Mercury on this blog is absolutely beautiful!! With the exception of Earth, which sustains life for us all, I believe Mercury to be the most beautiful of planets!

Karen (not verified)

3 years 9 months ago

When Mercury goes retrograde time EDT and when time of day that mercury stations to go direct time of day EDT. I don't believe I'm asking too much. Why folks got to be so superfluous and show off but skip over basic information? I had one last nerve and it getting on it. Just keep simple please.

Tina (not verified)

3 years 10 months ago

If you plan to close on a home, during a retrograde, you must cross your tee's and dot your i's. That means have the home inspected by someone that has no dog in the fight, and that doesn't know the realtor. Have it inspected the day of the closing, to make sure everything has been done, that the seller said would be done. If it is not done, postpone the signing date, or have the seller subtract the amount from the sale of the home and give you the monies as a check, or cash? Also, don't waive anything that should be done before you buy, just to save the money. So make sure you get the survey of the property, before you buy.

Karen (not verified)

3 years 10 months ago

Hi, we are trying to buy a house 15 hours away. We have not yet signed the contracts. What do we need to do during Mercury Retrograde to protect ourselves and perhaps our biggest investment?

Jim Magats (not verified)

3 years 10 months ago

Is it OK to start a new job under mercury retrograde? All the paperwork is being completed in normal time - what precautions should I heed if I do start a new job under mercury retrograde.

Jenn (not verified)

3 years 6 months ago

I started a job during merc retro. I tried hard to move the start date earlier, but could not due to the moving between states. It later turned out that the decision by management to revive that position was not warranted, the duties of the position changed a lot, felt like a demotion, the economy took a nosedive, I was laid off 14 months later, but got a sinking feeling(s) well before that. Try hard not to start a job during merc retro!

First of all, congratulations on your new job! As to starting a job when Mercury is retrograde, astrologers vary in their advice. Our take is, if one has the good fortune, skills, and talents to be offered a new job, it’s natural for that new employee to want to get off to a great start with the employer. According to some astrologers, when Mercury is retrograde, things might be a little more fluid as to changes, delays, etc. If one allows for these possible surprises or setbacks (normally there are a few anyway when learning a new job), focuses on the needs of supervisors and listens to coworkers, and does the best one can to learn—and enjoy!—the new position, things likely will work out fine. Remember that the times when Mercury is retrograde are temporary—many jobs last much longer than these off times. A little extra patience and positivity, as well as a focus on clear communication—plus some fun during off hours to de-stress!—can help during these periods. Good luck, and we wish you all the best!