When Is Mercury Retrograde in 2024?

Whether you consistently check your yearly horoscope or you're actually not into astrology at all, chances are, at some point in your life, you've wondered, "Is Mercury retrograde right now?" Mercury retrograde, which happens three to four times a year, is best known for being the reason behind unexpected breakups, missed job opportunities, nightmarish traffic, and crucial emails. For this reason, it's not a bad idea to keep track of when Mercury is retrograde in 2024.

But what is Mercury retrograde actually? It's a three-week period during which Mercury, the planet of communication, transportation, and technology, slows down and then appears to move backward from our vantage point on Earth. When this happens, the areas of life that Mercury oversees are thrown into a tailspin — sometimes for no reason at all, sometimes for very good reason.

Mercury may be known as the trickster planet, but it's also the planet that influences how you think and express yourself. Its retrograde phases are actually opportunities to prioritize introspection and take a step backward to recharge, revise, and reimagine a particular aspect of your life.

Below is everything you need to know about when Mercury will be retrograde in 2024 and the meaning of Mercury retrograde — undoubtedly the most misunderstood astrological phenomenon of all time.

The year kicked off with Mercury ending its final retrograde of 2023 on Jan. 1. Mercury was retrograde (meaning it ended its retrograde phase) in mutable sign Sagittarius. Then, kicking off the spring season, Mercury went retrograde in Aries from April 1 to April 25. For its third retrograde of 2024, Mercury went retrograde in Virgo from Aug. 5 to Aug. 28. To close out the rest of the year, Mercury will go retrograde one final time:

All of the retrogrades in 2024 have occurred — at least partially — in action-oriented fire signs (aka one of four zodiac elements) so the Mercury retrogrades of 2024 have been wired to help you retrace your steps and reflect on your inner drive and game plans for achieving your wildest dreams. This was likely true for everyone, given the tone of this year's retrogrades, but to get a sense of how your own unique experience will be impacted by the last and final retrograde of the year, consider referring to your birth chart to see which houses are associated with Sagittarius.
If Sagittarius is on the cusp of your seventh house (which is on the left side of your chart, directly across from your rising sign or ascendant), you'll be rethinking, redesigning, and renegotiating partnerships, whether romantic, platonic, or professional, during the final Mercury retrograde of 2024.

Good news: Mercury is not currently retrograde right now. However, because the third Mercury retrograde of the year just ended, we are currently in the midst of the Mercury retrograde shadow period. (I know, I know, when will it be over?!) This means that even though Mercury isn't retrograde, we may still feel the effects from the astronomical event. In other words, continue to triple check those alarm clocks, avoid sending your ex a text, and save all of your work in a Google doc.

Need a quick refresher on what is Mercury Retrograde? Although you're bound to come across a lot of fearmongering about Mercury retrograde, it's much more than just the headache-inducing phenomenon you've heard it is. In fact, every planet goes retrograde at regular intervals for weeks or even months on end; there's Venus retrograde, Mars retrograde, Jupiter retrograde, Neptune retrograde, Uranus retrograde, and Pluto retrograde. It's just that we tend to feel Mercury's retrogrades the most.

When Mercury slows down and appears to move backward through the zodiac from our perspective on Earth, you can expect technology glitches, transportation delays, and miscommunications. But Mercury retrograde periods, which occur pretty much seasonally, are also a chance to slow down, tie up loose ends, and take stock of existing business and projects. In turn, once Mercury's direct, you'll be able to move forward with even more clarity and assurance that you're right on track.

Maressa Brown is a journalist, author, and astrologer. Her areas of expertise include writing, reporting, and editing lifestyle, pop culture, and parenting content that's both conversational and substantive. In addition to contributing to PS, she writes for a variety of consumer-facing publications including InStyle, Parents, and Shape, and was previously an editor at Cosmopolitan and CafeMom.