Whether you’re smooching your significant other on New Year’s Eve or sipping champagne solo, January 1, 2026 ushers in a new phase of your love life, astrologically. As the year begins, Venus and Mars are both moving their way through Capricorn, giving you a practical, goal-oriented view on love and sex. But soon things change when both planets slide into eccentric, innovative Aquarius. All I can say is, expect the unexpected.
Depending on your zodiac sign, the year ahead can bring you bliss, challenge, and/or surprising revelations about your love life. But one thing all 12 zodiac signs need to look out for is Venus Retrograde in fall 2026. When the love planet moves retrograde, a ton of old things in your love life are coming back around for review—which yes, means you’ll almost certainly hear from an ex.
Read your love and sex horoscope for 2026 your Sun and Rising sign, below.
ARIES
Your love life starts out a little slow at the start of the year, Aries, though if you’re single you could meet someone interesting through friends, work, or a social cause. The pace starts picking up in June and you could have some major revelations involving your sex life around the solar eclipse on August 12. Enjoy your summer of love! Late summer can have you solidifying your partnership (or meeting someone who makes you want to settle down), but watch out for Venus Retrograde from October 3 to November 13. It’ll bring the past back around in your love life, particularly during the second half of the retrograde. Yes, this means you will probably hear from an ex.
TAURUS
If you’re traveling for the holidays, you might start the New Year with an exciting new love interest you meet on vacation. But after that, the first two months of the year are a little humdrum. The lunar eclipse in Virgo on March 3 might bring some surprising realizations involving how you experience sex—maybe you discover an exciting new kink or decide to open your relationship. Starting in July, you could have a summer fling (or simply experience some fun summer fling-like energy with your longtime S.O.), while September brings you romantic, committed, coupled-up vibes. Watch out for Venus Retrograde, though: From October 3 to November 13, exes pop back into your life and any issues you’ve been ignoring come up for review. The first part of the retrograde will be particularly rough on you, but if you make it through, Mars in Virgo brings you some hot sex to end the year right.
GEMINI
At the start of the year, Venus and Mars are both lighting up your 8th House, indicating you might find yourself caught up in an intense, obsessive kind of connection, whether it’s with a new partner or your longtime love. Whether this is a particularly romantic period in a long relationship or just a short-term fling, your attention will widen to encompass other matters (and maybe other love interests) beginning in mid-January and lasting through mid-summer. Your most romantic time of year will be from August 6 until September 10, when Venus moves through your 5th House of sex, fun, and creativity. Watch out for Venus Retrograde from October 3 to November 13: It’ll bring back exes and any sex/love issues you need to work on, particularly during the second half of the retrograde.
CANCER
Your year starts out extra romantic with Venus and Mars moving together through your 7th house of relationships into your 8th House of sex and obsession. Whatever happens, your year should be off to a steamy start. If you’re single and looking, you might meet someone new at work or through friends in March. Summer is a little quieter for you, but September through the end of the year promises sex, passion, and fun as Venus moves through your 5th House—with a teensy little break for some Venus Retrograde drama from October 3 through November 13. Power through, though, because after Venus Retrograde ends, your love/sex life heats right back up.
LEO
Lovey-dovey vibes abound in mid-January through early early March, with Venus and Mars in your 8th House of relationships and commitments. If you’re partnered, you’re getting even closer to your S.O., and if you’re single, you might meet someone who feels like they could be “the One.” You might experience some major shake ups in your love life around the time of the solar eclipse in Aquarius on February 17. Think breakups, surprising confessions of love, or even an elopement. Spring and summer are a bit calmer for you, but the drama returns with Venus Retrograde on October 3 through November 13. This retrograde shakes up your 3rd and 4th House, so it’s less relationship-focused for you than other signs, though you can expect to experience some awkward miscommunications and texts from your ex out of nowhere.
VIRGO
The year starts off with a sex marathon, thanks to Venus and Mars in your 5th House of sex, fun, and creativity. Then, you could experience a major shift in identity and the way you see yourself around the lunar eclipse in your sign on March 3—this could affect your love life but also every other part of your life, too. Nbd! Spring and early summer are easy-breezy, but the lunar eclipse in Pisces on August 28 hits your 7th House of relationships, so you could experience some major revelations there. Venus Retrograde in the fall occurs in your 2nd and 3rd house, so the love-life drama shouldn’t be too bad, although you can expect to hear from an ex and experience some miscommunications with your partner/crush/everyone you know.
LIBRA
The year starts out with bang for you, Libra—pun intended. From January 17 through March 2, Venus, Mars, or both are hanging out in your 5th House of sex, fun, and creativity; plus, the solar eclipse on February 17 promises some revelations around your sex life Try something new with your significant other, take a new partner to bed, or treat yourself to a fancy sex toy. March, April, and early May bring some cosmic action to your 7th House of relationships, so you might be getting serious with someone new or leveling up your already-existing relationship by moving in together, getting engaged, or adopting a fur baby. The rest of spring and the start of summer are a little quieter, but your love life will get a bit of a glow-up when Venus enters your sign on August 6. Sorry, though—Venus Retrograde in the fall hits up your sign (as well as Scorpio), bringing major relationship drama. You’ll end the year reflecting on what you want your love life to look like moving forward.
SCORPIO
The year starts out a little bit quiet for you, but Valentine’s Day is looking steamy thanks to Venus in your 5th House of sex, love, and creativity. A little while later, you’ll be feeling ready to commit (or to reaffirm your commitment, if you’re already partnered) thanks to Venus moving through your 8th House of partnerships from March 30 through April 23. The first start of summer is a little quiet, but the lunar eclipse in Pisces on August 28 occurs in your 5th House of sex, fun, and creativity, so you might experience some shifts in your sex life. Maybe you find yourself attracted to someone surprising or you realize that you’re into a whole new kink. Enjoy the cosmic glow-up when Venus enters your sign on September 10, but beware, because Venus goes retrograde in your sign from October 3 through November 13. Try not to get into any major fights with your partner/ex/crush/etc. because once the retrograde ends on December 4, Venus finishes up the year in your sign, giving you plenty of holiday romance.
SAGITTARIUS
2026 starts out a little quiet, but March, April, and early May get steamy with Venus and Mars lighting up your 5th House of sex, fun, and creativity. Try something (or someone) new in bed—the pleasure is all yours! While you’re usually all about a casual summer fling, there’s some cosmic action in your 7th House of relationships from late April through early August that means you might be yearning for something more serious during this time. Venus Retrograde shows up in October, but luckily for you, you’ll get by relatively easy. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself thinking a lot about your relationship history and past loves, though, both during Venus Retrograde and when Venus moves through your 12th House at the end of the year.
CAPRICORN
Venus and Mars are both in your sign at the start of the year, putting love and sex at top of mind. Later in the month, you’ll be thinking hard about the qualities you really value in a partner. Enjoy a long spring and summer that are all about love, sex, and pleasure. If you’re single, likely you’ll meet someone you feel a strong attraction to in late March or early April, and then get more serious in late May or early June. If you’re partnered, March/April will bring lighthearted fun, while May/June will find you strengthening your partnership. Venus Retrograde in the fall is likely to bring some drama in the form of a friend with benefits—maybe you start an ill-fated situationship or an ex-FWB pops back up into your life. If you find yourself yearning for a friends-to-lovers storyline, wait til after Venus Retrograde ends on November 13 to make your move.
AQUARIUS
Who are you, Aquarius? The start of the year has you reflecting on your relationship with love and sex, and a solar eclipse in your sign on February 17 can bring a sudden realization. Maybe you realize a long-term relationship isn’t working, or you find yourself making a major change in the way you date. Spend lots of time in bed in spring and early summer—and no, I don’t mean sleeping. The stars are right for amped-up pleasure, whether you’re with a longtime partner, a fling, or just yourself and your favorite vibe. Late summer brings another big revelation with a solar eclipse in your 7th House of relationships on August 12. What do you really want out of a long-term partnership? How can you get it? Listen to your gut. You’re not the most affected by this fall’s Venus Retrograde, although you may run into an ex who no longer lives in your city (or maybe you unknowingly end up in their city while traveling). You’ll end the year with intense energy in your sex life, so go ahead and spend the holiday in handcuffs.
PISCES
January is relatively quiet for you, but Venus slides into your sign in February, followed by Mars in March. This makes you look and feel even better and puts sex and love on your mind. A lunar eclipse on March 3 lights up your 7th House of partnerships and has you reflecting on your relationship with, well, relationships. If something’s not working, it’s time to make a change. A connection that starts as a summer fling could lead to something serious by fall—that is, if it lasts through the eclipse in your sign on August 28 that has you changing the way you see yourself and maybe even your entire worldview. (If you’re partnered, this could look like fun, flirtatious energy in the summer followed by some serious convos in August and September.) Venus Retrograde could have you pulled back into the orbit of an ex you know is bad for you; try to resist, because December’s astrology looks stellar for your love life.
