Venus Retrograde 2026: What to Rethink in Love and Values

Venus retrograde 2026: dates and signs

Venus goes retrograde fairly rarely, about once every year and a half, and this time it does so in Scorpio, a sign classical astrology considers Venus’s “detriment” (its own signs are Taurus and Libra). Here’s the calendar.

On its way back, Venus crosses part of Libra and part of Scorpio, so the retrograde “zone” runs from 22°52′ Libra to 8°29′ Scorpio. Venus passes these degrees three times: forward before the retrograde, backward, and forward again afterward. Times are in UTC; in time zones far ahead of UTC, the date of a station may shift by a day.

What is Venus retrograde?

Venus, like any planet, doesn’t actually turn around in space. It orbits the Sun faster than Earth does, and about once every 584 days, as it overtakes us, it passes between Earth and the Sun. Around that moment, Venus appears from Earth to move backward through the zodiac. 584 days is about 19 months, hence “once every year and a half”; the retrograde itself lasts about six weeks.

There’s a lovely detail here: five such cycles almost exactly equal eight years (5 × 583.9 = 2,919.6 days versus 2,921.9 days in 8 years). That’s why the places where Venus turns retrograde form a five-pointed figure, the “Venus rose,” and eight years later the retrograde returns to almost the same degrees. October 2018 was 10°51′ Scorpio, and October 2026 is 8°29′ Scorpio, a shift of only 2.4°.

Relationships: exes, old themes, and new people

Venus retrograde is most often linked with things that “come back”: old themes, former partners, forgotten conversations. Here’s what that looks like in practice, setting the mysticism aside: you suddenly think of someone yourself, a mutual friend mentions them, or you find yourself rehashing old grievances. Returns like these are a good chance to work out what was truly valuable to you and what was just habit.

• Already in a relationship. It’s a good time to talk about what has been building up: boundaries, money, time together, expectations. Avoid “right now” ultimatums: during a retrograde your opinion may change when you come back to the topic a week later.
• New people. Dating is possible. Keep a healthy caution: until you understand the person, don’t rush to define things or draw conclusions from first signs.
• Exes. If someone “comes back,” ask yourself what has changed. The answer should be specific, not “they got lonely.” Stay in touch without promises until the retrograde is over.
• Breakups. Irreversible decisions at an emotional peak are better put off for a few days. That’s not a “ban,” just ordinary psychological practice.

For couples it’s especially useful to see how the transits land on both charts: what is actually happening between you, rather than “for everyone.” A general look at couples is in the article on synastry, and what a report on two charts looks like is in the compatibility report breakdown. How a three-month couple forecast works is explained in a separate article; the service itself is the couple forecast.

Money, taste, and values

Venus rules not only love but also what we like and what we value. That’s why a retrograde brings up the question, “what do I really love, and what am I willing to pay for?” This period is handy for review, not for big decisions.

• Purchases. Choose things you can return; put big purchases off until the post-shadow if you can, and if you can’t, check the return terms and reviews.
• Appearance. A radical change of look (hair color, a haircut, a tattoo) sometimes isn’t liked weeks later during a retrograde. Give yourself time to think rather than deciding on impulse.
• Spending review. Go through your subscriptions, recurring payments, and old wish lists: what do you still use?
• Values. Write down five things you don’t mind spending time and money on. In a month and a half, compare the list with your actual spending.

This isn’t financial advice: for investments, loans, and major deals, consult a professional. Astrology here is only a way to calmly reconsider your habits.

Venus and Mercury: the double retrograde

From October 24 to November 13 both planets are retrograde, and all of Mercury’s retrograde fits inside Venus’s. On October 24, Venus makes its inferior conjunction with the Sun, the midpoint of its loop; the same day Mercury turns retrograde at 20°59′ Scorpio, and the day before, the Sun entered Scorpio. Both planets return to direct motion almost together: Mercury on November 13 at 15:52 UTC, Venus on November 14 at 00:20 UTC.

Mercury is about words and agreements, Venus about values and attachment. Together they make a “conversation about what we hold dear”: old messages, negotiating terms, revisiting promises. For more on Mercury, see “Mercury Retrograde in Fall 2026”; the 2027 Mercury retrogrades are covered separately: the dates of the three windows (Venus is direct that year).

Where Venus retrograde falls in your chart

As with other retrogrades, the personal effect depends on which houses and planets of your natal chart lie in the retrograde zone, 22°52′ Libra – 8°29′ Scorpio. Go step by step:

• Find the houses. See which houses of your chart contain these degrees: the themes of those houses are your area of “review.” The simplified table below helps you estimate quickly from your Ascendant.
• Check your natal Venus. If it sits in the zone (or in its opposition: 22°52′ Aries – 8°29′ Taurus), the retrograde feels personal: it’s a repeat “visit” to your Venus.
• Look at your Sun, Moon, and Ascendant. Are they in Libra or Scorpio? Then the theme of relationships and values touches you directly. The Sun crosses this zone from about October 16 to November 1: if you were born on those days (give or take a day from year to year), your Sun falls in the degrees of Venus retrograde.
• Assess the rest. Treat planets outside the zone as background: you’ll feel the retrograde through a house rather than through personal points.

By sign, the picture goes like this. Most strongly, the retrograde will be felt by people with a personal planet (Sun, Moon, Venus, Mars) or the Ascendant in the degrees of the zone. Noticeably, by those with a Taurus or Libra Ascendant: Venus rules their whole chart, and its review shows up in their general mood. Moderately, by those with houses holding important themes in Libra and Scorpio: partnerships, money, shared resources. As background, for everyone else: the theme of “what do I value” will reach you through a house rather than through personal points.

To read houses, see “Houses in Astrology”, and for Venus and the other planets, see the breakdown of planets in the natal chart. You can build a chart for free: your natal chart shows your houses and Venus’s position, and transits show how the sky lands on it week by week. Upcoming sky events are collected in the astro calendar.

What to do: a plan for the three phases

1. 1
   August 31 – October 2: the pre-retrograde shadow

   Venus in Libra and Scorpio (it enters Scorpio on September 10) is already crossing the future retrograde “zone.” Notice which relationship and values themes have started to surface: they’re usually the questions that will come back in October. Nothing is off-limits yet: choose what you’re ready to revisit, and what is worth finishing before October 3.

2. 2
   October 3 – November 14: the retrograde

   Review rather than launch. Conversations like “how are we doing?” go well, and so do a review of your spending and subscriptions, sorting through your wardrobe and your space, and an honest answer to “what do I really like?” New acquaintances and dates are possible; just don’t rush to define things.

3. 3
   November 14 – December 15: the post-shadow

   Venus is direct again but crosses the same degrees of Libra and Scorpio once more. This is the time to lock in decisions: accept what the review showed you, and do what you talked about. On December 4 Venus returns to Scorpio, and on December 15 the shadows end.

Venus retrograde myths

• “You can’t start a relationship during Venus retrograde.” You can; astrologers only advise against making promises too quickly.
• “Your ex will definitely come back.” Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t; no one has collected statistics. A return isn’t a verdict, it’s a question for you.
• “You can’t change your look or shop.” You can; it’s better to give yourself time to think and to choose things that are easy to return.
• “A retrograde always brings breakups.” It brings a review. Sometimes a review strengthens a relationship.

Frequently asked questions