This post was originally published on Astrology Answers
A new year is on the horizon, and with that, we have all new astrology to work with. One of the biggest is a planetary retrograde, and we have to contend with them every year, and 2025 has a lot of them!
What can you expect from the 2025 retrogrades?
What Does Retrograde Mean?
In astrology, a planet or body (like an asteroid) is called retrograde when it appears to be moving backward through the zodiac. It isn’t actually moving backward. It just seems that way.
Normal movement for the planets is forward, so when they appear to move backward, this throws off that planet’s energy. We’re chugging along just fine, and then everything gets thrown in reverse.
Some retrogrades seem worse than others and certainly have a reputation for it. Mercury retrograde is first among them, and these retrogrades are the times of year when we experience all sorts of tech and communication issues (ruled by Mercury).
Mercury retrograde comes most often, 3-4 times each year, for about three weeks at a time.
There will be three Mercury retrogrades for 2025, and they mostly occur in the Fire signs (Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius), but the first will go back to Pisces, and the last will go back to Scorpio, two Water signs.
The planet of love and money, Venus, retrogrades about every 1 1/2 years for about 1 1/2 months at a time. Venus didn’t retrograde in 2024, but does in 2025, at the same time as the first Mercury retrograde, and they both start in Aries and move to Pisces (they overlap and will hit almost the exact same spot in the zodiac – that is going to be the wonkiest time of 2025!).
Mars, the planet of energy and drive, retrogrades about every 2 – 2 1/2 years for 2 – 2 1/2 months at a time. 2025 begins with Mars retrograde in Leo, messing with love and fun, and quickly goes back to Cancer, bringing strong emotional frustration.
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Chiron retrograde every year for several months. Their retrogrades tend to be more subtle because of that unless they are the natural ruling planet of your Sun, Moon, or Rising signs (then you can feel them stronger!).
The Impact of Retrogrades in Different Planets
- Jupiter: helps us find blocks that have kept us from expanding, exploring, experiencing life, and pursuing opportunities.
- Saturn: more restrictive than usual but exposes karmic issues to work on.
- Uranus: slows down the big changes, which can help with stability and increase impatience and rebellion.
- Neptune: makes reality more difficult to grasp, and strong intuition becomes more important.
- Pluto: provides an opportunity to adjust to massive transformations.
- Chiron: makes us more introspective and reflective so we can remove blocks to healing.
The Sun and Moon are the only two planets that don’t retrograde.
Your Guide to the 2025 Retrogrades
So, when are the retrogrades of 2025 coming?
Before getting into the full list, I want to mention three retrogrades that begin in 2024 but go into 2025: Uranus retrograde in Taurus, Jupiter retrograde in Gemini, and the already-mentioned Mars retrograde in Leo and Cancer.
Jupiter has been retrograde since October 9th, 2024, in Gemini, and this lasts until February 4th, 2025. This slows down opportunities, limits some options, and brings more karmic energy into the mix. This can have the greatest impact on Gemini, since this is the sign the retrograde is in, and on Sagittarius since Jupiter is the natural ruling planet for Sagittarius.
Uranus has been retrograde in Taurus since September 1st, 2024, and this lasts until January 30th, 2025. This slows down change and can make us a little frustrated. The retrograde can have the greatest impact on Taurus since it occurs in this sign and Aquarius since Uranus rules Aquarius.
Meanwhile, Mars is now retrograde in Leo (as of December 6th), going back to Cancer on January 6th, 2025, and ending on February 23rd. In Leo, we can feel more frustrated with love, old love issues can prevail, and we need to reconnect with our hearts. In Cancer, we can get upset more easily and be triggered, and we need to tend to our emotional needs.
Mars is the natural ruler of Aries, so Aries can also be impacted by Mars retrograde and can feel off in a subtle way.
Now, here is the full list of the 2025 retrogrades, which includes when they start and end, the locations in the zodiac they start and end at, which signs are most impacted, and an idea of what to expect. They are listed in order of when they begin!
Venus Retrograde: March 1st – April 12th, 2025
Starts at: 10 degrees Aries
Enters Pisces: March 27th, 2025
Ends at: 24 degrees Pisces
Signs most impacted: Aries, Taurus, Libra, Pisces
Venus will be the first retrograde to start in 2025. This can bring challenges to our relationships with others and how well we connect. It can also be helpful for reconnecting with people from the past.
In Aries, we may get more frustrated and struggle with taking the initiative. In Pisces, we can struggle with karma and subconscious baggage and can be too vulnerable to cruelty.
This retrograde is significant for a couple of reasons, one being that it will occur with Mercury retrograde (the next section), and they tour essentially the same section of the zodiac. This means they’re both having similar impacts at the same time on the same things, so it packs a big punch and makes all aspects they make much stronger since they both will close together.
Secondly, there will be a Solar Eclipse on March 29th, 2025, in Aries, and both the Venus and Mercury retrogrades will trigger it, so it has strong energy in March. Usually, Solar Eclipses are triggers for major new beginnings, but with the retrogrades, it might actually focus on bringing things back from the past and taking second chances.
Third, and most importantly, Neptune is also going to change signs on March 30th, moving from Pisces to Aries. Venus will move backward from Aries to Pisces and overlap at the anaretic degree in Pisces on March 27th.
There are 30 degrees in every zodiac sign, and 29 degrees is the last degree. This is called the anaretic degree, and it’s supercharged energy in transit and often triggers something big – and this will likely be huge!
Watch this space for important world events in 2025. I am concerned they might be especially cruel in Pisces (I hope not, but the world’s not doing so well).
On a personal level, look at which of your natal houses 29 degrees Pisces falls, and try to come up with a plan for what you can work on and how you can improve with whatever areas of life that house rules. And if you have any planets or bodies at 29 degrees (of any sign), it gets a boost, and you can use that to your advantage.
Mercury Retrograde: March 15th – April 7th, 2025
Starts at: 9 degrees Aries
Enters Pisces: March 29th, 2025
Ends at: 26 degrees Pisces
Signs most impacted: Aries, Gemini,Virgo, Pisces
The first Mercury retrograde of 2025 starts in Aries, and this can impact our ability to take the initiative. Without having a positive outlet for the energy, we can become frustrated, aggressive, and prone to accidents.
Mercury goes back to Pisces, and this can bring challenges with focus, cause us to get lost in imagination, and leave us open to manipulation. We can be doormats without solid, healthy boundaries, and we can be drained without releasing past and karmic baggage.
Remember that this is extra strong as Mercury and Venus retrograde overlap; they both trigger the Aries Solar Eclipse, and they both cross over Neptune on the way out of Pisces.
Mercury and Neptune conjunct on March 30th at the anaretic degree in Pisces like Venus, so it’s important times a million to work on boundaries, releasing, understanding, and compassion.
Pluto Retrograde: May 4th – October 13th, 2025
Starts at: 3 degrees Aquarius
Ends at: 1 degree Aquarius
Signs most impacted: Scorpio, Aquarius
This is the first full retrograde in Aquarius as Pluto is now officially in this sign for almost two decades, and with Aquarius, transformations come for change for the future, and we can take control of our dreams.
Since Pluto retrograde is considered beneficial thanks to slowing down the intensity, we can work on making adjustments to the changes that have already occurred that impact our future. We can work on making changes to our plans for change, for our dreams, and believe in the new dreams we have.
Neptune Retrograde: July 4th – December 10th, 2025
Starts at: 2 degrees Aries
Enters Pisces: October 22nd, 2024
Ends at: 29 degrees, Pisces
Signs most impacted: Aries, Pisces
As mentioned, Neptune is on the move to Aries (March 30th) and will begin its retrograde period in this sign. Neptune in Aries challenges us to take the initiative with our spirituality, to take action with our imagination, and to work on releasing internal blocks to connect to our true identity.
Neptune retrograde brings the notorious foggy energy. In Aries, we may struggle with seeing things clearly regarding what we should take the initiative with, what our actions are, and what our identity is, and we need to look inward more.
Neptune will go back to Pisces, the sign it naturally rules, so this greatly increases the fogginess. It can be difficult to see what’s right in front of us, and we may not think things through carefully enough.
The Pisces impact is going to be strong since Neptune will be anaretic in Pisces the entire time it’s retrograde in Pisces and the retrograde ends with Neptune anaretic. In 2024, Neptune retrograde began at the anaretic degree in Pisces, so look back to midyear 2024 and consider how it impacted you.
Remember that both the Mercury and Venus retrogrades hit Neptune while anaretic in Pisces, so what starts then might continue for the rest of the year. Empathy, compassion, rest, boundaries, and creative outlets are super important.
Saturn Retrograde: July 13th – November 27th, 2025
Starts at: 1 degree Aries
Enters Pisces: September 1st, 2025
Ends at: 25 degrees Pisces
Signs most impacted: Aries, Capricorn, Pisces
Saturn retrograde in 2025 starts in Aries as Saturn begins to move from Pisces to Aries, just like Neptune. Similarly to the overlapping Mercury and Venus retrogrades, Saturn and Neptune are somewhat overlapping for 2025 as well.
With Saturn’s involvement, if we don’t work on issues with our identity, release spiritual, karmic, and subconscious baggage, reflect on the past, understand, and create healthy boundaries, we can be punished in big ways.
This might come swiftly in Aries, and when Saturn retrograde goes back to Pisces, we may have a hard time seeing things clearly. We can feel very restricted, and we might be cut off from the information we need when we need it.
We have to be as smart as we possibly can, as responsible and ethical as we can be, and stay the course with Saturn. That may not turn things around right away or quickly, but it usually will as soon as the retrograde is over.
Chiron Retrograde: July 30th, 2025 – January 2nd, 2026
Starts at: 27 degrees Aries
Ends at: 22 degrees Aries
Signs most impacted: Aries
In astrology, Chiron is the wounded healer. It shows us our wounds and how we can heal and grow from them. Chiron retrograde is a helpful time for focusing on blocks to healing and growth. We can find those blocks and work on removing them.
Chiron retrograde is a quieter time of introspection and reflection, and we can turn inward, trying to understand. The year closes with Chiron retrograde, and this is entirely in Aries. Chiron retrograde in Aries can focus on our identity, and we can take the initiative to make improvements and take control of our growth.
Remember that Saturn and Neptune are on the move to Aries as well, and that the Mercury and Venus retrogrades earlier in the year start in Aries. 2025 is an important year for our identity, figuring out who we truly are and how we can bring the inward outward.
Mercury Retrograde: July 18th – August 11th, 2025
Starts at: 15 degrees Leo
Ends at: 4 degrees Leo
Signs most impacted: Gemini, Leo, Virgo
This Mercury retrograde occurs entirely in Fire sign Leo, so it can make it difficult for us to focus on the work that needs to be done, the mundane, and the details.
We likely need more time to get anything done, have fun, goof off, and reconnect with our hearts and hobbies.
Recall that 2025 begins with Mars retrograde in Leo; it’s only until January 6th, and it began December 6th, 2024, so look back to the end of 2024 and see what came up with that retrograde in Leo. It can continue with this Mercury retrograde, especially anything that wasn’t properly addressed.
Uranus Retrograde: September 6th, 2025 – February 3rd, 2026
Starts at: 1 degree Gemini
Enters Taurus: November 7th, 2025
Ends at: 27 degrees Taurus
Signs most impacted: Taurus, Gemini, Aquarius
Uranus is the planetary ruler of change, and Uranus retrograde slows change down, but this can be frustrating if we get restless, impatient, and impulsive.
Uranus is on the move to Gemini in 2025, and the retrograde begins in the sign of the mind. This can mean our ideas and plans for change and the future might get stalled, and we have to keep gathering information and advice to create smart plans of action for later.
Uranus goes back to Taurus, and we’ve experienced many changes in our values, stability, and security in recent years thanks to Uranus in Taurus. We might see some last-minute alterations.
Uranus will be anaretic in Taurus when it goes back on November 7th until December 2nd, so this can supercharge the impact, and we can see major developments triggered, impacting resources, values, stability, or the planet.
Recall that 2025 begins with Uranus retrograde in Taurus until January 30th, so this can be in effect to start 2025 as well.
Jupiter Retrograde: November 11th 2025 – March 10th, 2026
Starts at: 25 degrees Cancer
Ends at: 15 degrees Cancer
Signs most impacted: Cancer, Sagittarius
This entire Jupiter retrograde occurs in Cancer, and Jupiter in Cancer helps us focus on the home and family, our emotions, and our foundations. We can pursue opportunities to start from the bottom and rise.
Jupiter retrograde in Cancer might cause us to become too wrapped up in our emotions and become too subjective. We need to make sure our emotional needs are being met, but we must not be inconsiderate as we do that.
Jupiter is retrograde to start 2025 as well, but in Gemini, so we start and end 2025 with fewer options and a little more karmic work to do.
Mercury Retrograde: November 9th – 29th, 2025
Starts at: 6 degrees Sagittarius
Enters Scorpio: November 18th, 2025
Ends at: 20 degrees Scorpio
Signs most impacted: Gemini, Virgo, Scorpio, Sagittarius
The final Mercury retrograde for 2025 begins in Sagittarius, and this can make us crave more space and adventure and want to run away. We need to find space within the options we have and open up our minds.
This retrograde starts at the same position the Mercury retrograde ended on December 15th, 2024, so look back to timid-December and what you were focusing on since that can tie into what you’re focusing on to start this retrograde.
The retrograde goes back to Scorpio on November 18th, and this can bring out anything that has been deeply hidden, that we’re afraid of, or that is particularly dark and serious. We need to work on taking control, empowering ourselves, and transforming.
The Scorpio New Moon on November 20th is conjunct with Mercury retrograde, and the Mercury retrograde opposes Uranus in Taurus on November 19th with both anaretic. The New Moon tries to bring opportunities to solve our problems and fix everything ourselves, but we might be jumping too quickly and without that, thanks to the opposition.
We have to make sure we have control over ourselves and our actions to avoid ending up in a worse place than we started. Thankfully, Mercury is trine, which is a beneficial aspect, and anaretic Neptune in Pisces on November 19th, so we get some help from our intuition, imagination, and compassion.
Your Full List of 2025 Retrogrades
Now you have the full list of the 2025 retrogrades! Make a note of them in your calendars and keep track as they come along (and manage Jupiter, Mars, and Uranus right this very moment!).
Make sure to see what they’re doing to your birth chart to get a full idea of the scope of impact for you personally. If you don’t know yours, you can use the free birth chart generator.
Good luck with the retrogrades this year!
Related article: The Ultimate Guide to Retrogrades
